Calming Ice
by 9witch2
Summary: Zuko has had it with the war and his father. He seeks out Aang, Sokka, and Katara to aid them in teaching the Avatar firebending. But what will happen when he tries to romance Katara? How far will the young Avatar go to stop him?
1. Stranger in the Night

**Please take note that this is only the first chapter and the others won't be quite as long. (I'm gonna put this a couple times, just so everyone sees this. Copy, paste. Copy, paste…)**

A/N: Hi, people! New story! New story! New story:dances in circles like a nimrod: So let me know how you like it!

Please take note that this is only the first chapter and the others won't be quite as long. (I'm gonna put this a couple times, just so everyone sees this. Copy, paste. Copy, paste…)

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_Downfall_

_Chapter One_

**(Please take note that this is only the first chapter and the others won't be quite as long. (I'm gonna put this a couple times, just so everyone sees this. Copy, paste. Copy, paste…)) (Ha! There are two parentheses!)**

I don't know how it happened. I was there- I saw it. In fact, I was the only one awake at the time. It's all a blur. It's one huge, confusing, surreal blur. But then how can I remember it? I suppose it was shock that caused me to be so hesitant in my actions. Now that I look back on the events of that night, I can sort out what happened. At the time, it didn't feel like that could actually be happening. It was like a dream. A nightmare almost. Almost.

_Flashback_

I sat on a long laid on its side. I watched the orange flames of the campfire dance, hearing it crackle and pop. My head was glued to my hands and my elbows to my knees. Absentmindedly, I reached down to smooth my skirt. I brought my hands back to their position when I realized I only had on my pants. I had not been wearing my skirt lately since it only got in the way when I tried to fight. I sighed and continued watching the fire.

Sokka turned over in his sleep muttering something about seal jerky and lichi nuts. I rolled my eyes. Even in his slumbers Sokka was still thinking about food. Will wonders ever cease? He continued his snoring as he snuggled into his bedroll and cuddled his pillow like a teddy bear. I smirked. Back at home, my brother had a toy sewn to look like a seal that he carried around as a child. Though he had not slept with Eokie (as he called him) in at least six years, he always needed something to hold on to.

When I was a young girl, my Gran-Gran had made me a penguin for me. I did not like it and screamed my little lungs out every time I saw it. And believe me, I could scream. My mother sewed me a blanket, but I threw that in the ocean by day two. All I liked to do was cuddle with _Sokka. _He would push me away as the women of the tribe would giggle and say how cute it was that I loved my brother so much.

My thoughts drifted as I sat there silently. Once again I was mesmerized by the flames. I watched them wave and dance in the light breeze. I smiled, thinking the little show was beautiful. Fire was majestic and entrancing to watch. My smile faded when I thought about firebenders. How could such a beautiful thing be so dangerous? How could this amazing element be poisoned by the way firebenders used it? _How _could firebenders turn their art into something so poisoned and hate-filled?

My fists clenched in anger. I absolutely hated this war! I hated the people who started it. I hated fire benders. I hated the Fire Nation. No. I stopped myself with my last crude thought. No. I didn't hate all of the Fire Nation. Unlike my brother, I saw the good in people. I would not curse the innocent people of the Fire Nation that were not guilty of starting this war. I would not hate people who did not deserve it.

I then wondered how the people of the Fire Nation viewed the war. What if they had different views than the Fire Lord? What did they do about it? How did they feel? How did they feel knowing so many people were prejudiced against them?

What about those families that had lost family members in this pointless war? My vivid blue eyes welled with sparkling tears. My mother had been killed in a Fire Nation raid and my father was currently away, fighting for the safety of our tribe. I missed my mother horribly. She'd been gone for three years. Three long years. Luckily, for the past ten months, I'd had Aang to distract me from my painful memories.

I still, however, found myself sometimes thinking about my father. Where was he? Was he injured? Was he even alive? My heart lurched as I thought of loosing my only parent. Tears spilled over my eyelids and onto my cheeks. I wanted my father back. I know it was selfish, but I wanted him back. My heart yearned for him and my Gran-Gran and my home. I would not tell Aang or even Sokka, but I missed the South Pole.

I was tired of the fighting and the firebenders and the traps. Why couldn't people just step back and let the Avatar return the world to its rightful order? Avatar. A lead weight dropped into my stomach and I felt slightly nauseous. My gaze drifted over to a twelve year old boy's sleeping form. His lemur rose and fell on his back with each of his owner's breaths. The boy was named Aang. He was the last airbender and the last hope to the world. Aang was the Avatar.

I secretly worried about my young friend's situation. Aang had to master all four of the elements by summer's end. There was a comet arriving by then with which the Fire Nation could easily end the war. They would soar to victory and all of the world would be at their feet, begging for mercy. Not even Aang would be able to stop the war.

Not only did I secretly worry for Aang's safety, but I secretly wondered whether he could do it or not. After all, Aang was only twelve. He had to master firebending within the next four months. How in the world could this little boy save the entire world?

I felt the tears return. How were we going to do this? Aang was a child, Sokka was a clumsy warrior, and I was a horrible fighter. I mean, I was a master water bender, but how was I supposed to fare against an army of fire benders? How were three people supposed to overthrow such a powerful nation within four months, preferably before the comet arrived?

I held my stomach and fought back a sob. I needed to get better at fighting. I needed to be able to help my friend and brother. Tears streamed down my cheeks. How could this be happening to me? To the world?

A twig snapped in the woods. I looked up in a flash, looking into the brush. Against, my better judgment, I stood up and walked over to the edge of the forest.

"Who's there?"

Silence. I moved a bit closer, summoning the water from my canteen for protection- just in case.

"Does the Avatar still need a firebending teacher?" a voice asked. I froze. It was a firebender? It didn't sound like Jong-Jong the Deserter, the one that had taught Aang a bit of the art, and that worried me. I tried to scream but my breath caught in my throat. My breathing hitched and I was rooted to my spot.

"What are you so upset about?" the voice inquired. Who was this guy? Why was he making a seemingly _casual _conversation? I still stood frozen with fear. This was surely a trap… "You don't have to be afraid. I swear to Great Agni that I will not hurt you." The voice was slightly raspy and had a truthful sound to it. Before I could do anything, a vague shadow came halfway around the trunk of the sturdy tree.

The shadow outlined the figure of a strong-built young man. His strong body suggested he was a warrior. I took a step back in fear. The man reached out his hand to me. Pale fingers exited the shadows. "Please, come into the shadows. My face isn't exactly handsome." What? Was this freak hitting on me? Once again, against every inch of sense within me, I moved. I took his hand and he led me into the woods.

We walked for a good fifteen minutes. About a mile separated me from my camp and my safety zone had dissipated. I was scared. This stranger could easily kill me and leave my body in the forest for my brother and friend to find. An image of my lifeless body filled my head as Aang and Sokka entered a clearing, sobbing and screaming words of revenge. The man pushed back a tree branch and ushered me forward. He still gripped my hand. It was strong yet gentle and strangely comforting.

"I figured you would feel more comfortable here." His hand gestured forward, making me notice a wide river in the clearing. I looked back at him, speechless. What was going on? Could I truly trust him? He released my hand and made his way over to a wide tree. He took a seat and motioned for me to join him. I did not dare refuse. When I sat, he did not take my hand or put his arm around my shoulder. He only rested his arms on his knees.

"So what do you want to know about me?" he asked. Huh? What was he talking about?

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"To trust me. What do you need to know to trust me?" Was this guy for real?

"Um…" A slight snicker escaped his lips. It was oddly musical. "What's your name?" I asked, ignoring his interruption. The man was oddly silent.

"I'll tell you later."

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen." Oh. So he was a year older than me (A/N: I made Katara's birthday happen already, so sue me).

"Did you grow up in the Fire Nation?"

"Mostly. I left when I was fourteen."

"Why?" I questioned.

"There was something that I had to do."

"What?" My (for lack of better word) companion sighed.

"If you don't mind, I'll tell you the whole story later." This guy sure knew how to make himself sound suspicious.

"Okay… Are you a warrior?" He turned to me. I could barely make out the shape of his body in the moonlight.

"Why do you ask?" His voice was full of curiosity and sounded…teasing?

"Well, you looked sort of…muscular." The last word was near a whisper. I turned my head away a bit to hide a blush. Not that he would have been able to see it anyway.

"So you check out every teen firebender that comes your way?" He was teasing me now. Lovely. He chuckled again, turning toward the river. "I guess you could say I'm a warrior."

"So how long have you been bending?" I asked. If this was the only common interest I could find, or the only answer other than "I'll tell you later" than I might as well talk about it.

"I was six and my little sister had stolen my favorite robe. When I went after her, we had a little wrestling match of a sort. Her pillow ripped open, sending feathers everywhere. That wasn't exactly great for my allergies and I sneezed, sending flames all around the room. It took my mother an hour to cut the burnt ends of her hair." the boy chuckled again. "She never forgave me for that."

"So are you a master?"

"No. Are you a master waterbender?" The outline of his face turned toward me.

"Yes." He nodded.

"I had the feeling." What was that supposed to mean? "So when did you figure out you could bend?"

"My mother was bending some water in our tent and I walked in on her. I'd never seen anyone bend before since she was the only bender in our tribe. I asked if I could do that and she tried to teach me. I couldn't." I sighed. "She died the next day. I figured out two weeks later I could bend when I cried. I threw a fit and threw my arms around. My tears followed the movements of my arms."

"You're mother died?" he questioned, turning to me again.

"Yes. In a Fire Nation raid." I replied softly.

"I'm sorry."

"I just want this stupid war to be over! My mother's dead, my father's at war, my Gran-Gran is running my tribe, and the fate of the world rests in a twelve year olds hands!" I thrust my hands outward and brought them back to my head. "I'm so scared." The tears streamed down my face again. I felt pathetic. Here I was, pouring my heart out to a complete stranger. "I'll need to face hundreds or even thousands of firebending warriors when we go to try and defeat Fire Lord Ozai."

"I'm sorry. Please don't cry." He touched my shoulder and pulled me close. I was still at first with surprise. I forgot about him being dangerous and collapsed into his strong chest with sobs. "I'll go with you and your friends to defeat him. I have a score to settle. I'll kill him myself." I pulled back a little to look up at him.

"Is that why you left the Fire Nation?"

"Something like that."

"Why do you bother comforting me?" I asked. Why _was _he comforting me?

"I can't stand to see a beautiful girl cry, and if we're fighting ruthless firebenders, you won't be much use if you're so depressed." I barely heard the last part. What had he called me?

"Beautiful?"

"Hasn't a guy ever called you that?" This time he pulled back a little. I felt his strong yet gentle grip on my shoulders.

"Yes, but…" I leaned back in to his chest. I ran my hand up the left side of his face but he grabbed my hand when it was almost to his eye. For a split second, I thought it was a trap. He kissed my hand in the most formal way. It was rather cute.

"We should get back to your camp. It's almost sunrise. I need you to help persuade the others to trust me."

"Why wouldn't they trust you? You took me to a river where I'd surely beat you should you attack. If that's not a sign you aren't an enemy, I don't know what is. Everyone knows waterbenders are at their strongest when the moon is in the sky." The boy stood and helped me to my feet.

"They just won't. I'm a firebender." He took my hand again. It took all of my will power not to blush. I laced my fingers in his and giggled as I pulled him forward.

"What's your name?" he asked as we backtracked.

"Katara."

"Katara, do you promise me that no matter how horrible I look you'll still like me?" The stranger had stopped now and was looking down at me with my hands held in his. His hands were soft- the opposite I'd expect from a bender such as him. I thought his question was a strange one. If his personality was something I could connect with, of course I would still like him.

"Yes."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Alright." I felt his lips connect with my forehead. Wow. This was going fast. I didn't even know the guy's name. He turned and continued in the direction of camp, still holding to my hand. We finally came to the edge of the camp and he let go, sitting behind a tree. "Just explain the situation to them when they wake up. Don't tell them I'm here. Tell them I can be trusted for me, alright?" I nodded and entered the camp to await my companions' awakening.

It was nearly an hour before Aang woke up with the first rays of morning just peeking over the horizon. He stretched and sat up, scratching his ear. He looked over at me with that wide grin of his and stood up.

"Morning, Kat. Why are you up so early?" he asked, striding over to give me his usual morning hug. Lately, the young Avatar had taken to calling me Kat for some reason. He hugged me every morning and every night unless Sokka was around. I assumed it was to avoid my brother's foolish taunting. At the South Pole, Sokka had called Aang "my boyfriend."

"I just had an interesting conversation." Aang looked up, confused. He scratched his bare stomach. This was another of the monk's strange new habits: sleeping topless. Not that me or my brother cared. It was just a new thing. "I found you a firebending teacher."

"Really! Wow, this is great!" He threw his arms into the air and jumped in utter excitement.

"Yeah. He wanted me to tell you and Sokka about it before he came into camp so Sokka wouldn't kill him on the spot. Attempt to, I mean."

"Oh." Aang pulled his arms down to his sides and let his smile radiate happiness. "So what's his name?"

"What's whose name?" Sokka asked from behind, rubbing a tired eye. He sat on his bedroll, yawning.

"I found Aang a firebending teacher, Sokka!" I exclaimed. Sokka's face immediately turned stern.

"You were alone with a firebender?" my brother nearly shouted.

"He didn't try to hurt me, Sokka. He was--"

"It was a guy?" he spat. "Did he try to romance you?" I barely hesitated.

"Sokka, I found Aang a teacher! He didn't try to hurt me and he's nice!"

"I don't care if he's nice! I don't want a damn firebender romancing my sister!"

"He didn't, okay?"

"Fine. Where is he?" My brother crossed his arms like he does when he's in his foul moods. It is safe to say Sokka almost always has his arms crossed. He is like a pouty child that sulks whenever they don't get what they want. I rolled my eyes and turned toward the forest.

"It's okay. You can come out now." I said.

"Sure Sokka won't kill me?" A smiling young man stepped from the woods and the three of us froze. He was clad in a brown tunic and pants along with combat boots. His hair was jet black and unbrushed. His eyes were gold like molten gold. Now I know why I recognized his voice. He looked a little different, but there are some things you can't hide- like a scar that covers nearly half of your face.

"No!" I cried. "It couldn't be you!" I backed up a few steps. "You- you pervert!" My scream echoed through the clearing as birds took flight. "You asshole! Why did you have to play with my emotions? Why couldn't you just try to capture Aang, fail, and be on your merry way like all the other times? That wasn't enough?" I advanced now.

"Katara, I--" Prince Zuko held up his arms in defense.

"SHUT UP!" I summoned water from my canteen and water-whipped him in the face. A trickle of blood slid down his pale face. I was about to unleash a fury of attacks when Aang incased Zuko in stone using earthbending.

"What did you do to Katara?" Aang said angrily, advancing to the imprisoned prince. His tone scared me. I had never heard the boy be so harsh. Zuko didn't reply. "Answer me, damn it!" Aang water whipped Zuko in the face, just as I had done. I saw Sokka's eyes widen. Neither of us had heard Aang curse before. We knew the boy was all business.

"I was talking to her. Calm down. I didn't hurt her." Zuko said calmly, barely phased by Aang's words or attack.

"Katara doesn't call just anyone a pervert! What did you do to her?" Aand yelled. No answer. Another whip. I winced at that one.

"I held her hand when I led her to the river, alright? Happy now?"

"You held my sister's hand?" Sokka spat. The Avatar cut in again.

"What else?" No reply. An advance. A whip. A wince. "What else?" Aang shouted.

"I-I…kissed her." Sokka was dead silent. Aang's face was stony. He suddenly lashed out, launching for the freed prince to strangle him. I intervened and held him back.

"It was on the forehead! I'm okay! Aang, stop! I'm okay! Stop tra-- Ow! I fell backward with an unintended burn from the Avatar as he used what little fire bending he could. I cradled my arm and bent over on the ground. Aang did not notice I had been burned and continued his advance on the Fire Nation prince. Zuko, however, did notice.

"Look what you did!" The monk looked back at me sitting on the ground. Pained tears covered my face.

"Katara!" Aang's eyes widened in realization of what he'd done for a second time. Before he could get to me, Zuko was past him and lifting me up bridal style. What on earth was he doing? I cried out in agony as the burn seared. Right now, I didn't care.

"You need to get that in some water. You won't have so much of a scar." the prince told me softly. He hurried over to the stream by our camp and placed me on the ground. "This is going to hurt." he warned. He took my hand and pushed the burnt part of my arm into the freezing liquid. I only gritted my teeth. By this time, Sokka's shouts of "you burned my sister" could be heard. I used my waterbending to surround my hands in a sort of blue liquid glove. Zuko looked at me strangely but I paid him no mind. I healed the burn and let the remainder of the water drip down my arm and send ripples about the water's surface. Zuko looked over my healed arm with wide, golden eyes. He looked up at me and smiled- a real, sincere smile.

"That's a handy trick."

"I learned it at the North Pole." I said, brushing a piece of loose hair behind my ear. I looked back to camp just in time to see Sokka tackle Aang.

"You stupid little runt! Every time you use your stupid firebending, Katara gets burned! You aren't any different than Zuko or Zhao! Why can't you control it?" my brother yelled angrily.

"Sokka, get off of him." I walked over to the Avatar and my brother with hands on my hips. The sorry excuse for a warrior obliged and stood, giving Aang an angry glare. Aang stood as well, not bothering to brush the dirt from his clothes. He just looked at me with his sad gray eyes and laced his fingers together.

"Katara, I am so sorry. Please, please, please forgive me. I was only trying to…I swear, I won't ever firebend around you again unless I can control it. I'm so sorry. Please, please--" It seemed the young Avatar was going in circles now. I stopped him before any of us went insane.

"It's alright, Aang. I can heal myself so I'm fine now."

"But I still hurt you and--"

"I'm fine." I insisted.

"But I--"

"It's okay."

"But--"

"Drop it!" I nearly shouted. Momo hid under his owner's sleeping bag in fright, though no one but me noticed it. Appa looked up and grunted as if to tell us to stop arguing. Sokka cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. We all turned to him as he pointed to Zuko.

"He's alone. No firebending army, no weapons, no minions. Can I beat the crap out of him now?" My brother pulled his boomerang from his belt as he waited for the okay. It never came.

"Aang needs a teacher."

"What?" Sokka yelled. "You can't be serious!"

_End (Ridiculously long) Flashback_

But I was serious. This happened yesterday and I'm still trying to figure out why I stood up for Zuko. Zuko was my enemy- prince of the Fire Nation. He had been chasing us for months and had finally disappeared only to resurface six months later. Why the hell was I standing up for a stupid firebender?

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**Please take note that this is only the first chapter and the others won't be quite as long. (I'm gonna put this a couple times, just so everyone sees this. Copy, paste. Copy, paste…)**

A/N: So how'd I do? I didn't wanna tell you at the top of the story, 'cause then you might not read it, but this is my first Avatar fic. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Just ask the reviewers for my Teen Titan stories, I don't write if you don't review!


	2. Who says we listen to you?

_Calming Ice_

_Chapter Two_

I could make out two shapes along the shore in the distance. One had a baby blue line snaking around his limbs and trailing along his back, indicating that it was Aang. He was in a horse stance with his arms bent at his bare sides; he was completely still accept the slight shake of his steady breathing. In front of him stood another figure that had his arms held behind his back. I could tell this figure was Zuko; Sokka was the only person still in the camp save me. I stood watching them for a moment before I turned back to rolling sleeping bags up. Correction: sleeping _bag. _It appeared Zuko was already showing Aang some firebending. Or breathing. It depends on your point of view. I let a small smile dance across my features, letting it die when I heard my brother stir behind me. Even at the slightest smile, I was sure he'd become suspicious considering last nights events.

"Fire breathing scum!" I turned to see Sokka up in a fighting stance with his trusted boomerang from Dad at the ready. His bedroll was a twisted heap beneath his feet. His blue eyes scanned the camp and fell upon me, blinking twice in utter confusion. "Hey, where's Zuko?" Before I could answer, he noticed something. "Aang's gone! That firebending jerk kidnapped—"

"There training." I cut in before Sokka could have a conniption. I motioned over my shoulder toward the shoreline. Sokka eased out of his stance and offered a meek "oh" in response. I shook my head, feeding the dying fire a log. I picked up the fishing rod from its home on a nearby rock and tossed it to my brother. "I'll cook if you catch." I smiled that "innocent little sister" smile of mine. Sokka sighed and walked off in the other direction, knowing he could never win an argument with me. Good. That was one less thing I had to do this morning. I took a seat on a boulder, stretching out the crick in my back.

I scanned the clear skies, watching birds soar and chirp. Among them was a squeaking misplaced lemur. I giggled. Momo was oblivious to what he actually _was_ sometimes. I heard the flying bison groan to my left. A snap could be heard. There was no doubt in my mind that the snap was from a tree. Out of my peripheral vision, I could see him chewing the leaves off of a fallen tree. Right again. My fingers fiddled with themselves in my lap. I poked the fire with a stick, trying to keep myself occupied. After all, Sokka wasn't the greatest fisher in all the world. It might be a while before he came back. I thought I'd have a better chance of marrying Zuko than Sokka coming back with enough fish for all of us.

Once, back at the South Pole, Dad had taken him fishing with one of his friends and his sons. Sokka was the youngest at eight while the other boys were ten and thirteen. I bit my lip remembering how I'd had a little girl's crush on the thirteen year old, Mashka. I rolled my eyes in spite of myself. Back then, I was somewhat like Coco, Aang's little friend from Kyoshi Island.

The men and older boys had caught at least four fish each, and the groups total was eighteen. Needless to say, we had eaten fish for a while after that. But poor little Sokka had only caught a minnow. He came home flustered, muttering about how Mashka and Centu (the other boy) had better hooks. The gossiping women in the tribe had got a real kick out of that one.

After my reminiscing, I looked back toward the training- breathing- Avatar and Fire Nation Prince. Aang stood in the same position while Zuko sat in the sand, bending a small flame between his hands. If Aang was only practicing his breathing, there would be no flame. I stood up and brushed the sand from the back of my pants. I couldn't be burned if there was no flame. I set off toward the two boys. It's not like I had nothing better to do.

I saw the prince look up. A smile tugged at his lips when he saw me. My pathetic teen girl heart skipped a beat. Was it just me, or did he just _smile_? And he smiled at me. Regaining my easily lost composure, I returned the gesture. The Avatar noted the change in his mentor and turned. A childish grin spread across his features as he waved.

"Morning, Kat!" he called. A wave of confusion washed over Zuko's face. I assumed the expression was the reaction to my nickname.

"Hi, Aang." I called, waving back. I trudged across the sand and was about to take a seat near Zuko when I felt the boy's arms wrap around my torso in a hug. I returned it feebly, watching the prince's expression resemble something of anger or jealousy. I blushed and offered a small shrug once Aang turned around.

"_Jealous?" _I mouthed toward Zuko. He only rolled his eyes and turned back to his pupil.

"You should practice waterbending now that Katara's up." Zuko said. Aang looked back and nodded. I couldn't believe how easily these two were getting along. Wasn't it just yesterday that Aang had water-whipped Zuko to oblivion, advancing on him like he was going to kill him?

"Master Katara." Aang teased, bowing formally.

"Pupil Aang." I joked back. "Go." I took my defensive stance in the water as Aang summoned water into the form of eight arms- the Octopus Form. Zuko watched with some curiosity.

I sent sharp icicles flying toward my "pupil". One of the liquid arms whipped around with lightning speed and snatched it out of the air. I threw a few more to buy some time. I pushed and pulled the water so that it slid beneath my friend, causing him to become unsteady and unfocused. He dropped the protective form sending a whip my way, which I blocked with a wall of ice. Stepping to the side of it, I unleashed several ropes of water.

They snaked around him, binding his arms at his sides. Aang struggled to get them loose. Once he did, he charged me, freezing my feet to the ground. I swayed to avoid another whip. He stopped a few feet in front of me, bringing a large wave of water from the ocean, causing it to freeze around me. The maneuver was one he'd seen Master Pacu use in a battle against me. With a flick of my uncaptured wrist, another wave crashed onto the shore. It was pulling him back out when he released his hold on my frozen prison. I tumbled to the ground, landing on top of him. I rolled to the side and stood, panting.

"Sorry." he told me. Aang was also winded.

"It's alright." I breathed. "Are you hurt? I think I kneed your stomach pretty hard."

"No." I pulled him to his feet. "You don't weigh _that_ much, Kat." His joyful smile returned. I caught sight of Zuko rolling his eyes.

"LOOK!" All of our heads snapped in the direction of the shout. It was my brother that was shouting to us. Sokka stood at camp with his arms in the air, supporting the giant form of a fish. Even from so far away, I could see the wide, triumphant grin on his face. It was about the size of his upper body. He deserved bragging rights. "BREAKFAST!" my brother screamed. Zuko stood right up and walked toward camp while Aang and I stood rooted to the spot, eyes wide and mouths agape. "COME ON KATARA, WE'RE HUNGRY!" I mumbled in protest. That was a lot of fish. I'd need to cut it into fillets if we wanted to eat before sunset. Gross.

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"Okay guys. Breakfast. Help yourselves." I took a seat between Aang and Sokka with my plate in hand. Sokka bolted toward the fire so fast I thought he was going to fall in. He came to a complete stop and grabbed a piece of fish. Without a thought, he took a bite. He nearly spit it out.

"HOT!" Sokka writhed on the ground like a fish out of water. Aang laughed and took his meal, being smart enough to put it on a plate. Zuko stood from his spot and went over for food, ignoring my choking and sputtering brother as if he weren't noticeable.

I nearly had a heart attack when Aang actually ate fish. He usually just ate fruit and nuts. "Aang!" My friend stared at me as if I had just fallen from the sky.

"What?"

"I thought you didn't eat meat!" I exclaimed. He just stared at me with those curious gray eyes of his.

"How do you expect me to save the world if I don't eat meat? It helps build muscle." Aang said offhandedly, taking another bite. What the heck? Aang had always been this happy peace-loving boy who always stood up for animals. For gods' sake, he wore a crown of flowers! And now he was being mister tough guy with his fighting and toplessness and nicknames and meat-eating? Was the world thrown off its axis?

"This is good stuff!" Sokka yelled from near the fire, ripping me from my ranting thoughts. He stuffed his face, paying no attention to the stares he received from the rest of us.

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We were off of the island in the next hour. We sat on Appa's saddle, secretly watching the not-so-tough prince of the Fire Nation cling to the leather of the saddle for dear life. Aang smirked- something I've never seen him do- all the while. Sokka would attempt to suppress chuckles and sometimes burst into laughter when you least expected it.

"He's afraid of heights!" The pathetic excuse for a warrior cried, doubling over. "The feared prince of firebenders is afraid of riding a giant multi-ton flying bison!"

"So were you when you first rode on the back of a giant multi-ton flying bison, oh sarcastic brother of mine." I teased, pinching his cheeks. He flushed and pushed my hand away with grumbles.

"So." The Avatar lifted himself from Appa's head with airbending and sat between Zuko and I. He pulled out his map and pointed to an island on it. We all gathered around, though it took Zuko longer due to his first time in flight. "I was thinking we could fly back to Kyoshi, stopping at islands along the way."

"Alright." I said. At this point, I didn't care where we went. We had Aang's firebending teacher and that's all that mattered.

"I wonder if I'll be able to beat Suki again." Sokka smirked. Suki was a warrior from Kyoshi that had trained Sokka in a form of martial arts.

"And wear that dress again." Aang added with a chuckle.

"It wasn't a dress! It was a warriors uniform!"

"And the makeup." Zuko put in. His smirk spread to a grin, holding back laughter. He'd been there and fought the girl warriors of Kyoshi. Apparently, he remembered.

"Shut up." My brother turned away with crossed arms. Aang turned to the side and looked out over the calm ocean. His features cemented into shock. I gave him a puzzled look.

"Aang, what is it?" I asked. I looked off in the same direction as my friend. The others looked too. Just below the horizon was a ship with a dark billowing cloud of smoke hovering over it. It barely took a second to figure out it was a Fire Nation ship. "But…but who could it be?" I asked no one in particular. That had to be one of the stupidest questions I'd ever asked. Who _couldn't _it be would have been a better question. After all, nearly the whole of the Fire Nation was after the Avatar.

I caught myself again. No. There were innocent people in the Fire Nation, just like any other nation. Just because their ruler began the war does not mean all of its people wished for it to happen. One example happened to be sitting two feet away from me.

I looked behind me to see Zuko peering over my shoulder and into the sparkling water below. His golden eyes widened. "Steer the bison in the opposite direction of the ship. We'll go over land and they'll need to go around it to follow us. When they do, head east for Kyoshi." Aang wasted no time and followed Zuko's suggestion.

"Since when do you tell us what to do?" Sokka piped up with an angry scowl.

"Do you know whose ship it is?" the Avatar inquired, glancing over his shoulder. We strained our ears to hear the prince's whispering voice.

"My sister's."

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A/N: How's the chappie? I know there's a lot of pointless stuff, but I didn't want the whole "Holy crap! It's Azula!" thing to take up the whole thing.

Demonically: REVIEW!

Sweetly: Puh-leeeeeaaaase?


	3. Attack and Downfall

_Calming Ice_

_Chapter Three_

"Princess." the captain said, saluting. His armored arms fell to his sides as he stared straight ahead.

"Captain." the princess replied dully. She did not look up from the map she had made countless red marks on. Her manicured finger found a point on the paper. "Do you think the Avatar would attempt to go back to the area where Jong-Jong was apprehended?" she asked, turning back to the man. The girl had been pouring over maps for a week, attempting to figure out where in the world (literally) the Avatar was headed. Several locations of villages and islands were circled in blood red ink to indicate a possibility.

"Princess, the Avatar has actually been spotted." The captain flinched slightly out of pure nerve. _Stay calm. _He told himself. _She won't throw you overboard if you aren't ignorant or question her authority. _Or at least that's what the other men had said.

"Oh?" the princess stood and fixed her piercing golden gaze upon the captain of her ship. She showed no emotion in her young features. The man stood quietly as a drip of sweat crawled down the side of his face. Talking to Princess Azula always made him nervous. He bit the inside of his lip to remind himself to keep calm. This girl was not the person to anger. Three people had already been thrown overboard; among them was the ex-captain. He had been telling the princess about the tides…

"We are within two miles of the bison. Do you wish us to catapult the beast or keep our position secret?"

"Captain, don't you think they would see us from their aerial position?" the princess inquired, pacing a line in front of the man. Oh no. This was the tone the soldiers had said the princess had used with the "Tides Captain." It seemed she enjoyed interrogated people. Her hands were behind her back and her lightly painted lips curved into a miniscule smirk.

"Yes, princess. I just thought you might want to weigh all of your options, no matter how…risky." The captain spoke calmly, choosing his words carefully. This surprised Azula to no end.

_How is he so calm? _She wondered. _Surly he has heard of the fate of my last captain._ The princess looked the captain over. She had not seen him much in the few days of his arrival. He was barely taller than her with a face that was still slightly boyish. His eyes were full of emotion and a few wisps of ebony hair escaped from his helmet. In all honesty, he didn't look much older then the princess herself.

"Princess?" The captain pulled Azula from her thoughts.

"Full speed toward them. When we are within a mile of the bison, or when they approach land, catapult them." With a nod and bow, the captain exited Princess Azula's quarters.

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"Sister?" Sokka cried, exasperated. "You have a _sister?_" Zuko gave the feeblest of nods. His eyes were downcast. Sokka threw his arms up in a spasm of frustration. Aang was quiet as he merely watched the situation unfold. I rested a hand on his shoulder, making him look up. I ignored my brother's sputtering of protest.

"It's alright. If she gets too close, you can singe her hair again." The prince offered a small smile. Sokka and Aang just sat there with baffled looks on their faces. My brother glanced at Aang who only shrugged.

_Later…_

"ZUKO!" I yelled, pulling him around by his shoulder. His eyes widened at the sight before him. Hurtling from the ship was a monstrous ball of flames. We were in real trouble now.

"Katara, water! Aang, try to bend the rock!" Zuko commanded. If the situation wasn't so startling, I'd have been surprised Zuko even knew Aang's name. I focused and with a quick, strong movement, I brought up a wall of water. It wasn't nearly tall enough. It made it just above half way. I turned to see Zuko firebend the flames away from the rock and fire them back at the ship. Good. I didn't need to put the flames out myself. Aang spun in the air, letting out a yell and pushed the ball of rock back toward the ocean below.

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"WHAT!" the princess yelled. It was more of an exclamation than a question. Her angered outburst filled the air about the deck of the metal ship. Several soldiers stopped and stared while others near her fell over in surprise and fear of being hit. "He's learned all of the elements!" She absentmindedly sent up a flamed punch to stop the returning fire ball. She consumed another ball of rock in flame. "FIRE!"

Little did Azula know that it was actually her pain-in-the-ass brother that was bending the fire.

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"There's another!" Aang called out, pointing. Zuko leapt up and bended the flame from the projectile with a massive exhale. Aang used the same maneuver he had before. Sokka looked over his shoulder to see what was happening. He held onto Appa's reins so tight, his knuckles were turning white. Fear was evident in his face.

"_Fire!"_

"Does your sister have it out for you or what?" Sokka yelled in frustration.

"She probably doesn't even know I'm here, but yeah. She hates anyone in the family that isn't Father." There was no time for conversation. "Here's another one!" Zuko and Aang repeated their process.

"_Fire!" _

Pry away the fire. Push it back. Kick the rock into the ocean.

"_Fire!"_

Pry away the fire. Push it back. Kick the rock into the ocean.

"_Fire!"_

Pry, push. Kick.

"_LOAD ALL THREE!" Azula commanded. Soldiers hurried to load the catapults. With a humongous burst of fire power, the princess lit the balls of rock. "FIRE!"_

Pry, push, kick. Pry, push, kick. P—

Zuko wasn't fast enough. Sokka had seen this, and attempted to swerve, failing miserably. The ball of flame collided with the bison, sending the beast into a roaring, searing agony. Flames consumed his fur, sending a horrible burning smell into the air.

Appa swerved, sending me over the edge of the saddle without warning. I held onto the very edge for dear life. Thank the gods for instinct. Still, fear gripped every fiber of my being. That was a long drop to the water... Gigantic splashes from the falling rocks echoed in my ears. Waves crashed across the big open sea. I closed my eyes and looked away before I allowed them to open. Dieing in my element would be too ironic. Not to mention scary. I screamed. Almost at an instant, a pale hand flew over the edge, grabbing my free hand. It pulled me back onto Appa's back with unbelievable strength. I fell on top of my savior due to momentum. I looked down into pools of molten gold. I was breathing hard, like I'd just run a long distance. I climbed off Zuko and thanked him, moving over to help Aang put out the fire set to Appa's fur.

"We're loosing altitude!" my brother shouted from the front. It was true. The deep ocean was leering closer and closer with each passing second. There wasn't much we could do about that at the moment. We had Appa to worry about. I grabbed a sleeping bag from the packs and smothered the fire with it. I let it fall from my hands when it caught fire itself. The thick blanket floated in tatters, still burning, toward the water.

"AANG!" Zuko yelled. Aang looked up to see the prince bending fire from yet another projectile. The Avatar used his earthbending yet again. This situation was hopeless. There had to be something I could do! I watched the prince and my friend extinguish and redirect several more balls of fire and rock helplessly. They were breathing hard. Trails of sweat glistened across their flushed skin. This extreme bending was really taking its toll. There was no telling how much longer they could last. I peered over the edge in search of a way I could help. And I saw it.

I stood up and used another quick, strong movement to throw a gigantic wave over the side of the ship. I saw several soldiers go with it. I hoped I'd managed to knock Zuko's stupid sister off. I resumed my position and pushed another wave over the ship.

"GO KATARA!" Aang cheered. He took the same position next to me.

"Push and pull. Push and pull. Push and pull." we chanted together, washing what must have been like tsunamis over the ship. Black and red armored soldiers sprinkled the surface of the water. They steadily grew smaller as we got farther and farther away. The ship had stopped. This fight would take a while to recover from.

"You saved us!" Aang exclaimed, throwing his arms around me in a tight hug. I saw Zuko give Aang a death glare and Sokka turn around. He pursed his lips and started making kissy noises. "Shut up, Sokka." Aang told my brother. Sokka's eyes widened in shock. Since when had Aang told him off?

"You and Zuko did more than--" I began.

"But you beat the crud out of them!" Aang pointed out, pulling away from the embrace.

"So the driver doesn't get any credit?" my brother said from the front. He was ignored. That's not much of a shock, is it?

"And it will take them days to recover from that, Katara." I looked behind me to see Zuko standing there. His face was slightly smudged with dark soot. "You did great. When Azula finds out it was you that kicked her ass…" he smirked, allowing everyone's imagination conjure up an ending. He knelt beside me and picked something out of my hair, letting it go in the wind. "Ash." Zuko added, looking toward a scowling Sokka. He sat back against the saddle contentedly. My brother set to muttering quiet threats to Zuko as he climbed in the back with the rest of us.

"I'm going to land so Katara can heal Appa. You need a rest, don't you boy?" Aang told us, taking the reins. Appa let out a groan in response.

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"I can't believe he mastered all four elements so quickly!" the princess yelled, slamming her fists on the table. A jar of calligraphy pens rolled onto the floor with a clatter and a bottle of red ink spilt over her precious map. She paid it no mind. The flame in the lamp flickered with her anger. "How many men were thrown overboard?" She turned to the captain expectantly.

"One hundred fifty, princess. All but one was recovered." The captain was sure to look forward. He kept his back straight and his hands behind his back.

"Injuries?" Azula asked, stopping in her spot. The captain was momentarily caught off guard by the slight pleading sound in the girl's voice.

"…Thirty-seven minor, six major. We're down by forty-four soldiers." The captain told her. Azula sighed and sat with her head in her hands.

"This would have been so much easier for my pathetic brother!" she yelled, throwing herself into her seat. "The Avatar only knew airbending and Zuko couldn't even take that! Father needs me to capture the Avatar _and _my stupid older brother. Thank Agni I've already got Iroh!"

Azula looked up at the captain. And the princess did something she hadn't done in years. Azula broke down and cried.

Poor captain.

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A/N: So how was it? Boring? Short? Yeah, I thought so, too. Let me know! Toodles!


	4. Poker and Rum

_Calming Ice_

_Chapter Four_

Aang was cleaning his poor Spirit Guide's stinging burns with fresh water, soothing Appa, urging him it would be alright. The great bison let out an occasional groan of pain. Sokka sat against a tree trunk, sharpening his boomerang with a stone. Zuko sat idly, without enough energy to even bend a small flame and pass it between his hands. I stood off to the side, waiting for Aang to be finished so that I could heal Appa's wound. Momo rummaged through our sack of food and ran off to sit by the oblivious prince with a peach. He nibbled on it quietly with twitching ears.

"Alright, Katara." my friend said, stepping back. I nodded and summoned the water from my canteen. It surrounded my hands in a glowing blue glove. My hands rested on Appa's side and I imagined his melted shin and fur repairing itself. I tried to imagine the pain of the flame against my own skin. I healed the burn in small sections as large as my hands would allow. When I'd finished, the water dripped from my fingers and seeped into the dry earth. I wiped my hands on my shirt and turned to face the others.

"Are we staying here?" I asked to no one in particular. No answer. I directed my next question to the dark-haired golden-eyed fire prince. "Not including the estimate for their stop time, how long would it take your sister's ship to get here?"

"About an hour." Zuko told me without looking up.

"We should leave in the next quarter hour." Aang piped up. "We need a little bit of a rest after that." The monk sat against a log, twirling a pebble around like he had when we visited Kyoshi Island. A silence filled the void.

"We need more supplies. We don't have any money." Sokka commented quite randomly. He sat up to ready himself for conversation.

"We can always do some spare jobs in the next town we stop at." Aang suggested with a shrug. "You made a pretty good fisherman, Sokka." He laughed, referring to a past mishap. My brother leaned back against his tree trunk, surprisingly not arguing. Another short pause occurred.

"I'm hungry. This shirt smells weird." Sokka said, sniffing the sleeve of said garment (A/N: kudos for people who know what movie I half-ripped Sokka's lines off of!). He was ignored by everyone but Momo, who brought him his half-eaten peach. He took it absentmindedly, not thanking the lemur. He didn't even notice when Momo chattered indignantly and scuttled off. And he didn't even notice he was eating after a lemur.

For the rest of our short break time, the boys were completely silent. I attempted several stabs at conversation, failing miserably. The only answers I received were from Aang. I sighed inwardly, leaning against Appa's soft fur. Every once in a while, I caught Sokka steal a glance at the Fire Nation prince, fingering his boomerang. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Even I honestly doubted Zuko would try to capture Aang at this point.

I don't know what made me think that. I mean, Zuko had been chasing us around the world for months! But in his disappearance, he seemed to have changed. I thought he did, anyway. I just believed he'd been through a huge internal battle; I could tell by the look in his golden eyes. He didn't lash out at people, he wasn't on edge, and- dare I say it- he was kind. The ruthless firebending Prince Zuko was being _kind_. Suddenly, my brother stood.

"We should get going." he stated. Aang murmured in agreement. We all stood, climbing onto Aang's Spirit Guide. With a 'yip-yip!' from the Avatar, the bison took to the air.

For the next several hours, all was silent save the whipping of the wind. I set to work on mending clothes, Sokka's stupid pants among them. How many times was he going to rip the same spot in his pants? What on earth had ripped the seam out so many times? My fingers fumbled slightly with the fabric. Never mind. I didn't want to know. I finished my work and tossed my brother his pants.

"Next time the seam rips, you're on your own." I commented. Sokka gave me one of his 'yeah right' glares.

"That cloud looks like a komodo rhino." Aang said from the bison's head. He was pointing to a puffy white cloud, lying on his back. Sokka leaned in to see it from the monk's perspective.

"I think it looks like a banana." This was going to be a long ride.

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"Princess?" the captain asked, knocking lightly on the princess's door. A light, almost inaudible, clink sounded. However, the door opened immediately. Before him stood Azula, surprisingly, out of her armor. Her baggy maroon pants and tank suggested she was getting ready to go to bed. But it was barely after sunset. Why would the princess go to bed so early when she usually stayed up until midnight, pouring over countless maps and battle plans?

"Yes, captain?" the captain noticed the princess's normal glaring features were calm and serene. This scared him more than the glares. Teenage girls were unpredictable. He'd seen her cry, and frankly, that was more than enough for him. He didn't know which was worse: a crying Azula or a stubborn and cranky one.

"Some of the men on the crew…" he began. He hesitated. What had he gotten himself into? "They were wondering if we could have…"

"The night off?" Azula guessed. She sounded bored, but wasn't using her dry sarcasm or questions.

"No, ma'am. A music night, you might call it." The princess raised an eyebrow. The captain's stomach turned flip-flops. Oh shit. He was dead.

"They teamed up on you, didn't they?" A hint of amusement was half-hidden in her voice.

"Excuse me?" he asked softly. Once again, he could barely be heard, but Azula's unbelievably acute ears caught the question.

"They voted on someone to ask me and they all voted for you." She was talking as if this sort of thing happened all the time. _How did she know? _The captain nodded. The princess smirked. "It's not like we can chase after the Avatar with so much of the crew injured, so go ahead." The captain froze. Did she just say…? Did he hear her right? Did she just give them permission to have a party on _her _ship? He gripped reality quickly as not to anger the princess. She seemed to be calm now, but teenage girls were impossible to predict. They were like komodo rhinos- quick to lash out.

"Thank you, princess." he said with a bow. "Will you be joining us?"

"Depends." Azula replied, leaning against the doorframe. Her arms were folded, legs crossed. A smile graced her lips. The captain's heart skipped a beat. What the _hell _was going on? "Will there be poker?"

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I sighed, rolling onto my stomach, resting my head on my hands. My eyelids drooped with fatigue. My brother twitched hearing my third sigh in less than ten minutes. Aang took no notice and continued doing airbending tricks with his marble. Zuko looked out over the ocean with a glazed expression. Something told me he was thinking about his 'dear' sister.

"How old is she?" I asked suddenly. All eyes- including Momo's- snapped in my direction. Zuko looked at me for a moment.

"Fifteen." he answered. I was surprised he knew what I was talking about. I watched as realization of my question sunk into Sokka and Aang's expressions. Zuko glanced back at the ocean, letting an almost inaudible sigh escape his lips. He turned to look at my brother, who was, yet again fingering his boomerang. It looked like he was about to tell Sokka off, but I beat him to it.

"Sure, Sokka. He's going to try and capture Aang when we're in the middle of the ocean on a giant flying bison." I said dryly. Sokka glared at me, pulling his hand away from his weapon and looking out over the horizon. I felt like pounding on his head and screaming at him to grow up.

The sky was tinted an orange-pink color with the bright sun sinking lower and lower each moment. We'd flown all afternoon as not to allow Zuko's sister to follow us. Though our attack should have taken a day or two to recover from, we decided not to take any chances. I smiled as the sun reached the horizon, sending waves of color over the sky and clouds. I loved sunsets. They were relaxing. No matter what had happened during the day, the sun seemed to take frustration and worry away, if only for a short while. Living in the South Pole for the majority of my life, I was not accustomed to these beautiful things so much.

"Do you think it's safe to stop or should we keep going until morning?" Aang asked to no one in particular. He rolled to the side, onto his elbow.

"The distance we just covered would take a Fire Nation ship nearly twice as long to cover." Zuko spoke up. All eyes fell on him. "If we fly to that island," he pointed straight ahead, "it would take about an hour to get there at this speed. Then it will be dark enough that we won't be spotted when we land. If we leave shortly after sunrise, we'll be fine."

"Sunrise!" Sokka burst out. "I can't wake up at sunrise!" He threw his arms into the air.

"I will." Zuko replied calmly. "Firebenders rise with the sun."

"_Firebenders rise with the sun._" Sokka mocked, wiggling his fingers. He crossed his arms. "There is no way I'm getting up that early."

"Fine, if you want to be captured. Azula doesn't waste time. It wouldn't surprise me if she was already following us." Zuko retorted, unable to keep a hint of venom out of his voice.

Little did Zuko know what his younger sister was actually doing.

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"I'll raise you a silver piece." the princess said. The soldiers that had long since been out of the game stayed to see the outcome. They hung over the game like fog hung over water. The princess's only opponent, the helmsman, sat across the wooden table from her with a bead of nervous sweat trailing down his face. He looked at Azula, trying to determine whether or not she actually had anything in her hand. Their small audience watched with bated breath. In the end, curiosity got the better of the helmsman and he threw his coin in the center.

The two players laid down their hands. The princess smirked triumphantly when she saw he'd only had a pair of eights. The onlookers cheered and whooped for Azula, who had a royal flush laid out on the table. The helmsman sulked off with a hunched back while she pulled the pot in toward her.

"Any other takers?" she asked with one of her signature smirks. Some of the soldiers scrambled in to take a seat, emptying small bags of money onto the table. Among them was the captain.

"Hey, Akuzo, I thought you didn't want to be thrown overboard!" one of the soldiers said to him. The captain sneered mockingly.

"Who said I'd beat her? She's got a real poker face." he smiled toward the princess, who smiled back. Akuzo's heart skipped another beat. Was Princess Azula smiling? No one else seemed to notice and if they did, they didn't see anything strange about it. But this was the complete opposite of normal.

Music boomed behind the princess and shadows of people danced across the metal deck of the ship. One of the men from the crew came over to watch the game, bringing a large bowl of nuts and several bottles of rum. Some of the players absentmindedly ate a few nuts while looking over their hands.

"Oi, Zazi. It's your turn."

"Okay, I'm goin'." The man called Zazi waved his arm to the other across the table, taking a swig from his bottle. The men and woman all took their turns, pausing for occasional remarks. Azula threw in a silver piece.

"I'm done." Zazi said, pulling back his arms from his fallen cards.

"Princess." Azula looked up to see one of the soldiers standing to her left. "Do you want a drink?" He held up a bottle of rum. Azula smiled, taking the bottle.

"Just don't tell my father and you won't get your head burned off." Several of the crew members around her roared with laughter.

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A/N: Splee!

.: Jumps around doing happy dance:.

Chapter four! Chapter four! Chapter four! Chap—

.:Gets hit in head with flying brick:.

REVIEW!


	5. Pure Fluff!

**A/N: Hi peoples! Yay! Chappie Five!**

**I dedicate this chapter to airgirl555: thanks for the review with the idea for Aang and his fish. **

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_Calming Ice_

_Chapter Five_

Again, I couldn't sleep. Again, I tossed and turned. Again, I crawled out of my sleeping bag.

I didn't understand why I couldn't sleep. Wasn't it just two hours ago that I had nearly fallen asleep on Appa's back? I had just dozed off when my annoying, stupid, inconsiderate brat of a brother shook me, telling me we were about to land. Jerk. I mean, I knew my thoughts ran wild every time I attempted to sleep. That was probably what was keeping me awake for all of these long nights.

I looked over the shadowed forms of the snoozing boys. Sokka was mumbling in his sleep, as usual. Zuko lay away from the group, near a lone tree trunk and without a blanket. Aang had not moved from his spot unless he got up to go to the bathroom. Strangely, he'd gone at least eight times that night. But then again, the fish he ate might have had something to do with it… I smirked to myself and decided to take a short walk to the stream about a hundred yards off.

I walked as quietly as possible, as not to wake the others. I pushed past the tall prairie grass, stepping over holes and stray stones. Tiny lightning bugs flew threw the air with occasional dim light coming from them. The grass seemed to buzz with life. Crickets chirped contentedly and lightning bugs fluttered over me, circling each other. The moon and stars shone brightly above me. I smiled, inhaling the sweet smell of the grass and whispering a greeting to Princess Yue, the Moon Spirit.

I rarely talked to the moon before Princess Yue sacrificed herself to _be _the moon. But now, my friend was up there and I wouldn't ever see her again. We didn't know each other incredibly well, but all the same, I thanked her for her decision. Sometimes I found myself wondering what it would be like to be in Sokka's position. I had creeping suspicions the two had a secret relationship going on. My brother would sometimes go off on anyone or anything for the stupidest reasons. Sometimes he wouldn't even speak to us. He'd go off on his own for a while, staring at the dark sky. I knew he was watching her. Yue, I mean. I knew he missed her.

I looked up at the moon again. "It's hard, Yue." I said. At first, I thought myself stupid for talking to the moon. But I didn't think of it as the moon. I'd never think of it that way again. The beautiful, shining white orb in the sky was Yue. And I spoke again, knowing she'd hear me. "You're afraid to love someone you can't." The crickets' song filled the void in my one-sided conversation. "…or I'm afraid to love someone that was once my enemy."

I pushed a stray strand of chocolate hair behind my ear and continued walking. "Why did he do that? Why did he kiss me?" Absentmindedly, I pushed aside some of the grass. "He knows that even if I did love him we could never be together." It might have been my imagination, but I thought I saw the moon shine brighter. "Are you mocking me or agreeing?" A grin spread across my face.

"We're opposites. Water and fire. Light and dark. Good and evil." I paused and thought my words over. "So he isn't evil. Not anymore, anyway. But how can anyone forgive him for what he's done?" I made my way over a small slope. "Just look what he did to- Kyoshi." I stumbled slightly, remembering the "little incident" of Zuko nearly burning down the village. "We can't go back there. Suki will kill him."

I finally found a small clearing next to the stream. Exiting the grass, I let it fall back into its place. I took a seat by the quiet-flowing brook, submerging my hand in it, breathing deeply. I slid off my shoes and rolled up my pants. My ankles hung over the short bank and greeted the cool of the refreshing water. I sighed. I looked heavenward to pick out constellations, though I was thinking of everything else _but _the stars.

I wondered how the village at the South Pole was doing. My heart panged with homesickness for the millionth time in the past week. Were the people alright? After all, Sokka was the oldest boy left in the place. He was supposed to protect it. And I was supposed to help Gran-Gran govern it. Guilt spread through my veins like dye on fabric. Sokka and I had left our village with only a few boys and women to protect it. I shut my eyes, trying to block out a surge of guilt.

_If you help Aang, you'll save them and the rest of the world. _A voice inside my head piped up. _But_ _what if the Fire Nation attacked? Sokka wouldn't be there to help._ My eyelids clenched tighter. _Sokka couldn't do any better than the children and you know it._

And something hit me. The children. If the village was attacked by the Fire Nation, what would happen to them? Would the Fire Nation soldiers abduct the adults and leave the poor kids there to fend for themselves? Would they become slaves? Or… I bit my lip. Would they be killed? My stomach turned a series of summersaults. No. The Fire Nation wouldn't kill innocent children. No one could kill innocent children. Not even a ruthless, heartless nation like theirs.

_You're doing it again. _A voice scolded me. _You can't judge a nation because of their ruler's decisions. _I sighed a shuddering sigh. Hot tears prickled at the back of my eyes. I pulled my arms around myself to block out the sudden chill conjured by my imagination. It was a warm spring night.

"Cold?" I turned to see the shadowed figure of the muscular Prince Zuko pushing past a few pieces of grass. He came forward, draping a blanket over my shoulders. Heat surged through me with his touch and I suppressed an involuntary shudder.

"Oh. Hi." I replied meekly, looking back toward the stars. He settled next to me. Heat radiated from him, warming me as our arms brushed.

"Can you ever sleep?" I was half-startled by his sudden question. I looked over at him, but looked away quickly.

"Not really." I pulled the blanket around me in nervousness. My tan skin was covered in goosebumps with the feel of the fuzzy fleece. An eerie silence began. Even the crickets seemed to stop. My ears filled with the droning quiet.

"You said you'd still like me even if I wasn't handsome. You lied." Zuko's voice wasn't accusing me, but rather informing me. I looked up at him, face barely visible in the poor light. We both looked away like embarrassed children. I hoped he couldn't see my blush. I broke the silence.

"It's not that I…" I struggled to find suitable words. "It's just…you've been…" I sighed, closing my eyes. I couldn't sum all I was feeling into a few simple sentences. I'd have to write a book for gods' sake!

"Chasing you around the world and you don't want to fall in love with a prince from your enemy nation." My heart skipped a beat. Enemy nation?_ Love? _

"No, Zuko. I mean… It's just strange that you disappeared and then when you come back, you want to suddenly help us." I told him, fiddling with my fingers. A pause. "Where were you?"

"Places." He flicked a bug from his shoulder.

"What happened?"

"Am I right in my assumption?" he asked, facing me. Why was he avoiding my questions?

"What assumption?" I tried to play dumb. I really didn't want to answer that.

"That you don't want to fall in love with a prince from the enemy nation." My spine tingled. He just sounded so… calm. It was as if he were talking about the weather rather than a relationship with a peasant waterbender from the South Pole. Another short pause ensued.

"Zuko, the Fire Nation isn't my enemy. The Fire Lord is. There are inn--"

"Just say it, Katara." he cut in. His voice was filled with sorrow. "Look me in the eye and say it." He turned to me. I felt his hot breath on my face. I felt his eyes lock with mine, but I tried to look at anything but him. My stomach flip-flopped and my breath hitched in my throat. He took the silence as his answer. "I was afraid you would think that."

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"This way, princess." the captain said quietly. He held Princess Azula by her manicured hand, leading her to her room. She'd only had four sips of that damn rum and she was drunk as hell. Oh had the mighty had fallen. Akuzo opened her heavy steel door, pulling her in and closing it once again with a thud. He led her to her bed and sat her down.

"What are you doing?" she asked. She looked up at him with confusion but smiled. "You know, your hair is adorable." Azula smiled drunkenly as her golden eyes sparkled. The captain blushed furiously. Great. A drunken Fire Nation princess was just what he needed right now.

"Come on, princess. You need some rest." He pulled back the red and gold silk sheets so she could crawl under. He looked up at her golden gaze when she didn't.

"What's your name, anyway?" Azula asked, seeming to take no notice to what the captain was actually doing.

"Akuzo. Come on. You need your rest." he insisted. The princess giggled.

"I like it." Azula commented with a small hiccup.

"Thank you. Now you really do need to--"

"How old are you?" Akuzo figured the sooner he answered her questions the sooner she'd go to bed. This meant he could, too. It was worth a shot.

"Eighteen. Get under the--"

"Really? I thought you were younger." Azula watched him, swaying slightly.

"Just turned. Now will you--" Once again, he was interrupted.

"Will I what, Akuzo?" The captain's heart sped faster than a race car (not that they existed, or anything). To his shock, pleasure, and dismay, the princess leaned in and kissed his cheek. She leaned on his muscular chest with a contented sigh. The young man was frozen in place. _That didn't just happen. That didn't just happen. That didn't just happen. _No matter how many times he told himself that, Akuzo couldn't block it out. The princess of the Fire Nation had just kissed him- _him- **him**_- of all people. And now she was…was she _hugging _him? She was three years younger than he, though he believed her birthday was fast approaching. And the scariest part was that he liked it. But his duties came first. It would be inappropriate to have a relationship or…do anything. Azula was drunk; she didn't know what she was doing.

"Princess, you're drunk. You don't know what you're saying or doing. It will all be okay in the morning. Just get some sleep." He pulled away from her, wishing he could just stay in the embrace. He'd only known the girl for about a week, but her softer side was rather appealing.

"Is that an excuse?" she asked. Her eyes were watering. Oh shit. "You don't like me?" she squeaked pathetically.

"Princess, I do," Azula smiled until he continued. "But not in that way." Akuzo thought for sure Azula would lash out with a vicious flame, but she didn't.

"What?" Princess Azula was baffled.

"You don't like me that way either, princess. You're just drunk. You--"

"I'm not drunk!"

"Princess--"

"Don't call me that!" Azula stood up and tore the traditional red flame-shaped comb from her bun. "It's Azula! I never _asked _to be a princess!" She let the comb fall to the cold steel floor and she collapsed on the bed in tears for the second time within the span of a week. Wow. He hadn't seen that outburst coming. Akuzo watched the girl for a moment before rubbing her back to comfort her.

"It's okay, Azula." he sighed. _How do I get into these messes? _He thought. _I'm going to kill whoever gave her that damn rum! _Azula sat up and threw her arms around the captain, sobbing into his shoulder.

_Agni, help me. _Akuzo pleaded.

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"Zuko, I--"

"Save it Katara." Zuko said fiercely. I recoiled slightly. I hadn't heard Zuko take that tone all the while he'd been traveling with us. That sounded more like the stuck-up, snobby, determined, Avatar-catching prince. "We both know you couldn't stand to "betray" your family and nation by loving a firebending prince." He stood up and turned to leave. _No! _My mind screamed. I gripped his arm and pulled him back. He wrenched his arm away with unnecessary force and kept walking. I leapt to my feet and followed him into the field of the towering grass.

"Zuko!" I said, gaining enough ground to walk beside him. Ignoring me and my pathetic pleas, he went on ahead at a faster pace. I hurried up again. "Zuko, listen to me!" He walked faster, hands swaying at his sides, fists clenched. I jogged to keep up. "Please, just listen!" I threw up my arms exasperatedly, stopping in my tracks. He continued ahead, pushing through the grass. That was the last straw. Running forward, I tackled him to the ground. Ignoring the pain in my shoulder, I turned him over so he was facing me.

Shock was etched into his face. I didn't blame him. It's not every day that a girl tackles you and ends up straddling your waist (unless you have a raving band of fangirls).

"_Listen to me!" _I hissed in his ear. When he didn't struggle, I took it as my sign to speak. I sighed. "Zuko, I… That first night, I thought that a relationship might work. But then when you stepped out of the trees…… My brother would never accept it."

"So?"

"It's a tradition in my tribe that the father agrees to any relationships. But since my dad is away, it's Sokka's job." I said, getting off of him. I sat on the ground, looking up at the stars. I wished Yue would give me a sign of advice. Zuko sat up slowly behind me. He was probably in pain too.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." His warm strong hand found my shoulder. Was he always this warm? I figured it was a firebending trait. I turned to face him. We both leaned closer to one another and I collapsed in his chest.

"Life is so confusing." I complained. I looked into his eyes, though I could hardly see them. And against my better judgment, I leaned closer to him and placed a soft kiss on his lips. When I pulled away, my eyes widened with realization of what I'd just done. It had been tender and I loved it. But I wanted to take it back. Zuko only took it as a sign that it was alright and pulled me close. I looked up at Yue with tears pouring down my face.

_Help me, Yue._

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**A/N: Yay! So how was it? **

**REVIEW!**


	6. Tea and Standing Up

**A/N: Hi, everybody! (Hi, Dr. Nick! Sorry, Simpson reference.) So I have good news for Insane Evilish Vampire Pirate And The Demented Hobbit Ninja: Iroh's in this chapter! Yay!**

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_Calming Ice _

_Chapter Six_

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A loud, piercing scream erupted around mid-morning, filling the echoing halls with ear-shattering noise. Two soldiers exchanged curious glances before hurtling down the hallway with heavy footfalls. Their mad dash to the shriek ended at Princess Azula's room. Just as they were about to enter the room, the door was wrenched open. "GET OUT!" the raging princess screamed, shoving the form of a man roughly to the ground.

The soldiers looked at the captain on the floor with wide eyes. His hair was lopsided and his eyes still laden with sleep. The soldiers' gaze lifted to their princess, whose hair was pulled loose of her traditional comb but instead hung just below her shoulders. To their surprise and shock, Azula had her silk sheets pulled over her chest protectively. Surly Akuzo didn't…

Azula dropped the blanket, glaring at her miniscule audience with boiling hatred in her eyes. They didn't say so, but they were relieved that she still had on her clothes. "What are you looking at?" she spat at them. "Go waste your time somewhere else!" She threw a fiery punch that sent the two scurrying away in fear. And her gaze fell on the captain. "You-you asshole! You took advantage of me! I was drunk, wasn't I?" she roared, flailing her arms in the air. Akuzo dared to pull himself to his feet.

"Azula, let me explain." he offered, holding out a hand. By the time he'd caught his mistake, it was already out in the open. He mentally braced himself for a flame edged attack, but it never came. The princess didn't seem too worried about her title at the moment.

"Agni! What if I'm pregnant?" she cried, backing away.

"Princess--"

"What will my father say?"

"Princess--" This situation seemed oddly familiar.

"I'll be disgraced! Rejected!" Yes, it was.

"Princess--" He was getting cut off every time he attempted to speak. At least she wasn't drunk anymore.

Azula let out a gasp. "I'll loose the throne! I'll be banished!"

"Azula!" Akuzo said loudly, taking her hand. She shook her head, backing away. "We didn't do anything of the sort. I swear it. Firebender's honor." He held up a hand to emphasize his point. "You were drunk and you asked me to stay until you fell asleep. I guess I did, too." The princess loosened up a little bit. "I apologize."

"It's…It's alright." Azula let out a massive exhale, causing the torches in the hallway to flicker a bit, and entered her room. She left the door open. She padded over to a bench to take a seat. Just as the captain turned to leave, she spoke again. "Can you come in here for a moment?" The captain nodded and entered. He did as she told and closed the steel door behind him with a long squeak of un-oiled metal.

"Princess?"

"Here." She gestured to the spot on the bench beside her. He took it. There was silence for a moment while Azula's fingertips met, her brow furrowed in thought. "I made a fool of myself, didn't I?"

"Only in front of me, if it makes you feel any better." The princess looked up at him. He was lost in her gorgeous molten gold gaze.

"What did I do?" The trance was broken when she looked away.

"Um…" Akuzo rubbed the back of his head, unsure of himself. Should he tell her the whole story?

"I want the whole story. No lies, no missing parts. Got it?" Wow. Even in a situation like this she was a commanding person. And he was pretty sure she could read minds… He nodded.

"Well, I led you here and told you you needed to get some sleep. But you kept… talking to me." The princess nodded, urging him to continue. "You…" the captain blushed, "you were…flirting with me." Azula looked away, scarlet. She rubbed her arm, unsure of herself. How could she have done that? The captain laughed out of nervousness.

"Yeah. You kept saying my hair was "adorable" and asked me my name, how old I was-- stuff like that. And you…hugged me and kissed my cheek." Princess Azula's blush deepened considerably, but she kept quiet. "That's when you got sad. You were upset about how I didn't like you back or something." He chanced a glance at her. She was looking at the floor as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"And when I called you "princess", that sent you into a rage. But you got over that quickly. And you hugged me again, asking me to stay." Their eyes connected, but tore away quickly.

"How did you answer my questions?" she said softly.

"Well, my name's Akuzo and I just turned eighteen. I said I didn't like you…_that way_." He felt his cheeks warm considerably. He felt like a child! A deafening silence reared its ugly head.

"Thank you. That will be all." she said, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. Not once did she look up. Akuzo exited without another word.

Azula collapsed onto the bench once the door clicked shut. _Pull it together, Azula!_

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A sleeping guard sat on a crate by the doorway to the prison hold. His snores were quick and troubled. He was deep in his precious sleep, but jumped up at an instant when he heard a voice. Her voice.

"Sleeping on the job?" Princess Azula strode in proudly, adorned in her armor. Her hair, he noticed, was back up in its bun. Yes, he was one of the poor souls that had witnessed that scuffle that morning.

"It won't happen again, your majesty." he said, bowing deeply.

"See that it won't." she replied, glaring daggers. She looked straight ahead and opened the barred door to the prison cells. She strode in and walked to the end of the hall, stopping. Before her sat a rather short, round man with gray hair and a beard. He still had on the green Earth Nation garb he'd been captured in.

"Hello, Princess Azula." he said to her. Pathetic. Even if he'd been captured to live the rest of his days in a prison, he was still inexplicably cheerful. Maybe he _had _gone crazy while on that ship. "Would you be so kind as to bring an old man a cup of tea?" Or maybe the tea had started to go to his head. Azula rolled her eyes.

"You'll die in Father's prison without your damn tea." The man paid no attention to the girl's language.

"That is true, but that would be all the more reason to let me enjoy my last cup." the man replied with a clever smile. So he was still the same old persuader. Even in three long years, Azula's Uncle Iroh had not changed.

The princess's face was stony. "Later, perhaps. But I have some questions for you first."

"Can I ask you one as well?" the girl was curious.

"Very well."

"I remember when you used to scream and shout back at the palace. My ears will never forget that noise. I believe I did hear something quite similar to it this morning." A smile spread across Iroh's face. "What was wrong?" To his surprise and pleasure, Princess Azula turned her head with a blush at the memory of that morning. "Is it that bad?" Iroh pressed, arching an eyebrow.

"Shut up, Uncle."

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I woke up shortly after sunrise, rested. I crawled from the sanctuary of my bedroll and stretched, letting a quite groan escape my throat. Hearing a sizzling noise near the fire pit, I looked toward it. There sat Zuko, turning a stick over the fire with two good-sized fish on it. He looked up at me, smiling.

"Morning." he said softly, still turning the stick. My silent question of why he was being so quiet was soon answered. The forms of Aang and my brother still lay on the ground in sleep. Sokka snored loudly, making Aang mumble something like 'shut up.'

"Morning." I replied. Aang stirred in his sleeping bag. He sat up, yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"What time is it?" he asked groggily as he stood to stretch.

"It's barely after sunrise." Zuko said. Aang nodded.

"Morning, Kat." The monk wrapped his arms around me. The Fire Nation prince glared daggers at his turned back. I briefly returned it and pulled away to sit near Zuko.

"I thought you couldn't fish, either." I commented, noting the size of the trout. I looked up to see him glaring at me. I smiled. "Or did you get lucky?"

"Shut up, 'Tara." Tara? So now he had a nickname for me?

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Aang noticed how Katara smiled at Zuko. He felt anger boil inside of him. He'd never forgive the brat of a prince for kissing her. If she wanted a kiss, she'd kiss someone. And by the look on her face that night when Zuko stepped out of the trees, she hadn't seen his face during their little meeting.

Aang kept his temper under control and managed to seem cheery. The prince wouldn't be with Katara if he had anything to say about it.

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"Where is Zuzu?" Azula asked. She had finally managed to turn the situation around and she was now the one doing the interrogating. Iroh shrugged, as if it was no big deal. But this was a huge deal. Princess Azula had a mission given to her by her father and she could not fail it.

"I have no idea. Prince Zuko and I did not have a plan on where we were going." He eyed his (-shudders-) niece with the family's signature golden eyes for a moment. "And, Princess Azula, don't you think if I knew where he was going, he would have changed his route? He would not want to risk me telling you of his whereabouts."

"First, Zuko no longer deserves the title of "prince". Second, my brother is _not _that smart. And third, _stop toying with me!_" She halted her pacing and pointed her finger dead center between her uncle's eyes. His eyes crossed as he looked at it, but returned to normal quickly. There was a brief silence.

"May I have my tea now?" Azula smacked her forehead with the base of her hand.

"If I get you your tea, will you answer my questions?"

"Yes." Iroh said calmly.

So Princess Azula set off to find some damn tea.

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The captain was just about to leave the steering room when the helmsman spoke. "So what happened with you and the princess last night, Akuzo?" The young man in question froze mid-step, causing a loud, delayed footfall.

"What do you mean, Kuzi?" he said rather sharply, turning to face the helmsman.

"What do you think I mean?" the man called Kuzi asked, turning the wheel of the ship slightly. The captain sighed, frustrated. The rumor had spread quickly and nearly half the crew had asked him the same question already. He'd just walked by them all, ignoring them. But Kuzi was supposedly his friend. Surly he would understand what had happened.

Akuzo took off his helmet, running his hand through his hair. He threw himself in a chair, slouching so much he nearly fell out of it. Another sigh escaped him as he looked toward the helmsman, who was looking at him over his shoulder.

"Nothing."

"That's a load of shit, Akuzo."

"Shit my ass." Akuzo scoffed. "She was drunk, so I stayed there to make sure she was okay."

"Right." Kuzi said sarcastically. "So how was she?" The captain glared at the man before him. Sure, Kuzi was twenty one, but did he think about anything but _that?_

"I don't know how she _"was"_ because we didn't _do _anything."

"Yeah right. Why are you being so uptight about it? I mean, she's the _princess _of the Fire Nation! What's so horrible about that?"

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Princess Azula stopped right outside the steering room. The kitchen hadn't had any tea, but she knew one of the helmsmen did. She'd come to find him, but heard voices inside. She froze, listening.

"Yeah right. Why are you being so uptight about it? I mean, she's the _princess _of the Fire Nation! What's so horrible about that?" She recognized the voice of the helmsman she'd beaten in poker. It seemed they were talking about her. Whoever _they _were. She heard heavy footsteps.

"You know, Kuzi, Azula may be a girl, but she deserves respect." Who was that? Was that Akuzo? The princess's heart skipped a beat. Was he sticking up for her? "There's more to girls than just their social status, looks, and what's under their clothes." What? Was the helmsman making…Ah! She'd fry him to a crisp!

"Yeah, sure Akuzo. Whatever you say." Kuzi's laugh was cut short. Knowing what was coming, Azula stepped away from the door. It flew open as the arrogant helmsman collided with it; the door was never that strong. Kuzi fell to the floor, rubbing a furious red mark beneath his jaw. The captain stepped out of the room and lifted the fallen man by his collar. His feet barely brushed the ground and he whimpered. Akuzo stopped mere inches from the helmsman's face. Neither noticed the onlooker off to the side.

"They next time you say anything against Azula, she'll be the one kicking your ass." he spat indignantly. He threw the man to the ground.

"He's lucky I'm not kicking his ass right now." Azula spoke up. Both heads turned to see the princess leaning against the wall. "You," she said fiercely, pointing to the helmsman, "go to the fuel room. You'll be shoveling the coal today." The man scurried up, bowing and apologizing. "GO!" she barked, pointing down the hall. He rushed away in fear of being burned.

Akuzo and Azula watched him go. "Thank you, Akuzo." The princess laid a hand on the said person's shoulder, entering the steering room. She looked toward the table and smiled as she picked up a bundle of tea. She turned back to the captain. "Are you going to steer or get the other helmsman?" He nodded and turned to go.

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After waking Sokka and convincing him Zuko's fish weren't poison, we loaded our supplies onto Appa for another flight. Sokka strapped them tightly, should we have any other firebending mishaps. Aang airbended his way to his pet's humongous head while the rest of us climbed up the tail.

"Appa, yip, yip!" Aang called out. The bison let out a groan and took off with a mighty swing of its tail. We needed to make sure Zuko's sister couldn't catch up to us. We planned to fly all day, stopping only for bathroom breaks. We'd stop late at night and do the same thing tomorrow. Poor Appa was in for a hard week.

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**A/N: I know this chappie didn't have much point to it, but I wanted to get Iroh in there. Then I thought it would be great if Akuzo stuck up for Azula, so yeah. There you have it! Hope you review. I want to break my record!**


	7. List

**A/N: Sorry for the wait and the crappie chappie. I hope it doesn't suck too much…**

- - - - - - - - - -

_Calming Ice_

_Chapter Seven_

We flew over the ocean in eerie silence yet again. Appa offered no groan. Sokka did not mutter death threats to Zuko. Momo did not chatter away. Even my normally bubbly friend was quiet. Aang just sat with his head in his hands, watching the water below with half-lidded eyes. His yellow clothes billowed like a parachute in the wind.

"I could find graveyards louder than you guys." I commented, sitting up from my spot.

"So you're making an effort to make some noise?" Sokka asked indignantly, giving me a slight scowl. He smirked, turning away. Him and his games! I could tell when he was angry and when he wanted to joke. This was one of those joking times. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Childish imp…

"See anything?" Zuko asked Aang. He took a seat beside the Avatar and looked out over the ocean for any sign of his sister's ship. Aang looked up, ripped from his trance.

"What? Oh. No." he replied with a shake of his bald head. "Just water." He settled back into his position with his prized wooden staff in his lap. "Lots and lots of water." And silence fell over us like a wave falls over the shore- quickly.

"I'm hungry." Sokka said ubruptly. He leaned forward and rummaged through our burlap sack in search of something to eat. When he was practically crawling into the sack, Momo sat on his back, causing him to sit up. Along came the bag so that Sokka looked as if he were a child dressing up and trying to scare somebody. A lone peach fell which the lemur snatched up immediately. My brother froze there like the complete moron that he is. "Momo took that peach, didn't he?" Silence.

"Maybe." I replied. Off came the sack and Sokka nearly tackled Momo for the fruit. Momo squeaked. He retreated to the haven of Aang's shirt to eat in peace. Sokka sat down with crossed arms with a huff.

"The little rat ate the last of our food."

"We can get more at the next village we come across." the Avatar piped. "We just can't take too long. Zuko's sister might not be far behind." Sokka pouted.

"I'm hungry now." His stomach let out a growl as if to emphasize his point. What was it with boys and food?

"Yeah, well…" Aang trailed off, swaying over dramatically, "You loose."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Four seasons, foooouur loooves. For seasons…" Iroh muttered and hummed quietly to himself to pass the time. He sipped no more than a few drops of tea from a large tin cup. He'd made the cup last all morning and he still had half of it left. He was going to savor the sweet drink while he could. His fiery and vengeful brother sure as hell wasn't going to be kind enough to give him such a privelage.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Princess Azula rolled her emotionless golden eyes hearing her loony uncle's singing. His voice was off key and cracking horribly. She cringed.

Him and his tea and his singing…and his persuading…and music…and proverbs… She had forgotten just how much she'd hated the old man. Perhaps he was the reason Zuko had not apprehended the Avatar. His ways could drive just about anybody to insanity. She herself had only been in there with him for little more than an hour. It had seemed like so much longer. Her head was still spinning. He'd used loopholes and several other techniques to mess with her mind and questions. You had to be incredibly specific with questions you asked Uncle Iroh.

But now she was ready. She knew what exactly to do.

Iroh's foolish singing halted when he heard footsteps outside his cell. The princess saw his face turn toward hers. Her (-shudders-) uncle smiled like the idiot he was. "Hello, Princess Azula."

"Hello, prisoner." Azula replied in mock cheerfulness. Iroh hastily stood from his rickety wood stool and brushed it off before offering it to his niece. She eyed it critically for a moment but sat anyway. She crossed her legs elegantly and stared at the man across from her who had took a seat on a metal cot. He stared back with a smile sending waves of wrinkles across his face. His eyes were bright and he seemed happy. To Azula, his expression read "I don't know what's going on because I'm old and confused but I'll just smile and go with it." Yup. The expression said it all.

"So where did you say Zuko was headed?"

"I didn't."

"So where is he going?" Azula was patient. Iroh shrugged.

"I am no psycic, Azula."

"Where did he say he was going?"

"He said nothing." There was a slight pause. For a moment, Iroh thought he was home free. For the past day, he'd been finding flaws in his niece's questions just so he wouldn't have to answer them. He would hate to lie to a family member, even if they were backstabbing, ruthless, firebending jerks that took after their sleezy, evil, jerk fathers. A smirk spread across Azula's face. His stomach dropped into oblivion with nervousness.

"Where did you tell him to go?" She got him. What was he going to do? Iroh thought incredibly fast.

Without skipping a beat, he said, "Can you refill my cup, please?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Say, Princey," Sokka said, turning to Zuko. His piercing golden gaze didn't phase Sokka in the least. "Do you have any other family members hell-bent on capturing Aang?"

"Other than my father, no. And he's not actually searching for him. He just hires bounty hunters to do all the work for him."

"No other siblings?"

"None that are old enough to go after him."

"Your mother ruthless and/or evil?" What was with that? Sokka sounded like this was all business!

"Dead."

"Creepy in-laws?" I could just imagine spectacles on him. I bit back a laugh.

"No one in my family is old enough to marry but me."

"Psyco aunts that pinch your cheeks?"

"Yes but they aren't after the Avatar."

"Uncles?"

"Not after him."

"Grandparents?"

"Not after him."

"Half-siblings?"

"Not after him."

"You?"

"Not after him." Alright, Sokka's interrogation was getting old.

"What about that old fat guy that travels with you? Isn't he your grandfather?" I saw Zuko visably cringe. He cast his eyes to the saddle.

"He's my uncle. He's been captured by Azula." Zuko said softly, turning away. My heart panged to see him upset. He never showed any emotion but anger so you knew this was hard-hitting stuff. Sokka sat down silently. He, Aang and I all stared at the Fire Nation prince from behind, all secretly wondering what happened. None of us dared to ask.

- - - - - - - - - -

I lay on my bedroll, looking up at the twinkling stars in the night sky. Again, my gaze fell upon the moon. I instantly remembered Yue, smiling. My thoughts wandered. I thought about what had happened earlier that day on the back of Appa's saddle. Turning over, I pulled a piece of paper and a quill from my box of waterbending scrolls. I sat in the light of the crackling fire to see my writing better.

Though Sokka's interrogation to the prince was annoying and somewhat heartless, it did open up a few doors to Zuko's mysterious past. I glanced around the camp to be sure everyone was asleep. Even the prince himself was snoring peacefully, curled up at the base of a large oak tree. I smiled though I didn't know why. Looking down, I began to write.

What did I know about Zuko? The first one was a no-brainer: _Father is trying to take over the world. Hires others to find the Avatar. _I stopped and thought for a moment. I wrote on the next line. _No siblings old enough to hunt for Avatar (excluding Azula). _How many siblings did he have?

My heart nearly stopped when I remembered the next detail of the conversation. _His mother is dead. _I blinked back tears remembering my mother's death. She had died trying to help the men defend our weak village with her sparse waterbending. I forced myself to turn back to the task at hand. 'I'm only so sad because I'm tired.' I said to myself.

_Oldest child. _My quill wrote. _Has an aunt. _I added. Why that would be of significance, I hadn't a clue. _Grandparents still living. _What was that? "Still living?" I guess I hadn't noticed how old Gran-Gran actually was until I thought about it. She could die anytime soon… I mentally smacked myself. Sure, Gran-Gran wasn't in the best shape anymore but she could live a while longer. Gods, why was I thinking about Gran-Gran now? Wasn't I thinking about Zuko?

"_Half siblings?"_

"_Not after him."_

Did Zuko have half siblings? It certainly sounded that way. _Half sibling(s). _I strained to remember the last bit of information mentioned in the interrogation. I stopped mid-thought. If Zuko had half-siblings, did he have a step-parent? _Step-parent?_ I added.

What was that last part? In an instant, it hit me like a ton of bricks. His uncle. _Uncle captured by Azula. _But why was Azula trying to capture her uncle in the first place? I yawned. 'Maybe I should get to bed.' I thought. After putting my things away safely in my box, I crawling into my sleeping bag and drifted off to the first peaceful sleep I'd had in days.

- - - - - - - - - -

Iroh heard the footfalls of boots again around nine or so. He refrained from his continuous humming and looked up to see Princess Azula standing near the bars. A heavy scowl was placed over her face and her arm was raised and holding something. Tea!

"Hello Princess Azula. How are you?" the man asked kindly.

"Things would be a hell of a lot better if you told me where Zuzu went, Uncle." She unlocked the door and stepped inside. Iroh offered her the same rickety stool and she sat. The old man couldn't help but notice she had left the door unlocked.

"I have told you before, Zula, I am not a psycic." Iroh said calmly, using a nickname that caused his niece to flinch.

"And I have told you before, _Uncle,_" she said, spitting out the last word, "_not _to call me that." Her eye twitched with anger. It took every ounce of her will power not to burn the man to ashes.

Iroh still smiled. "I see you have brought my--"

"Save it, Iroh!" Azula spat, standing up. She held the teabag to his face and waved it about to taunt him. "You aren't getting this damn tea unless you tell me where you told Zuko you were going!"

"Princess Azula, you try too hard. You are being angry and rude and uncaring. You lack control. You cannot possibly go through life this way. I am not telling you where Zuko and I were headed." His brows pushed themselves together. Azula stared at the man before her. What was wrong with him? Why wouldn't he just answer the question? And he had no right to insult her in such a way!

"I don't try too hard. I am only specific with my questions because you are such a manipulator! I am not rude and uncaring. I treat others by their social class and as of right now, you are at the very bottom of that chain. Even a komodo rhino is higher than you! Even dirt is higher than you! And I do not lack self control!" Flames flickered at Azula's hands, licking one of the walls. Iroh stayed calm, resisting the strong urge to smirk.

"Then why is there fire in your hands?" Azula looked down with surprise but quickly covered her reaction.

"I hope you like your cell in Father's jail you old bat!" she said fiercely, throwing twin balls of fire toward him. He ducked at the last second and turned to see Azula leaving and locking the barred iron door behind her. She trudged down the hallway angrily, slamming the door to the prison hold with an echoing clang.

- - - - - - - - - -

I awoke to a small shake of the shoulder. I rolled over and looked up into pools of gold. I blinked a few times to adjust to the light. The sun wasn't even peeking over the horizon. The sky was brightening, signaling that time would be soon.

"Why are--" I started groggily. Zuko put his hand over my mouth and put his finger to his lips. I looked around to see Aang and Sokka still fast asleep. I nodded and he removed his hand.

"I figured we could go to the market and wake them when we come back." he whispered.

"Alright. But I'm leaving a note just in case." I pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled a hasty note on it. I dropped everything and stood up. "I'll be back." I hurried off into the woods to go to the bathroom and wash my face in the river. When I returned, I found Zuko had put my quill and box away for me and tucked the note under Aang's pillow.

"Come on." Zuko said. He pulled me by the arm so I'd follow him into the woods. It seemed he knew where he was going. We were silent for some time, only the noise of waking animals and the snap of twigs beneath our feet to keep us company.

I nearly jumped when Zuko took my hand in his. Again, I found myself staring into pools of gold. My cheeks began to warm and I looked away. How I wished I hadn't been so foolish that night…

"Katara," he said, making me look up. "I saw your list."

- - - - - - - - - -

**A/N: -Gasp!- We _so _didn't see that coming, did we? Well, let's put it this way: if you didn't… I don't know. I'm not going to say you're stupid because then you'd get POed and never read my story again. Anyways…**

**REVIEW!**


	8. Answers

**A/N: Sorry, but it's another crappie chappie! (Ha! That rhymes!)**

_Calming Ice_

_Chapter Eight_

I stopped dead in my tracks to look up at the firebender in awe. He stopped and looked down at me with his unnerving copper gaze. But I noticed something different about it. His gaze no longer seemed to be boring into the very fabric of my soul but seemed to be caring and…almost…charming. Almost. I felt the color rise in my cheeks for what must have been the billionth time in the past week. I turned away and set a slow pace, clasping my hands over my shoulders in nervousness.

"I'm sorry." I said quickly. I kept my eyes on the ground. "Your past just seemed mysterious. I got curious."

"It's alright," Zuko replied, walking alongside me, "I'm the one who was reading someone's personal thoughts. I should be apologizing." What? What had he said? I came to another halt and turned to look up at him. He gave a half of a smile and walked around me.

"So what did you want to know?" he asked. I could have fallen over on my face. And I thought the world was being thrown off of its axis when Aang was acting strangely! Was this still the same guy? He let me catch up and took my hand again. I hesitated.

"You don't have to tell me. It's your business and if you want to keep it to yourself, keep it to yourself." A low throaty chuckle came from him. My heart leapt into my throat. He sounded so much different!

"We need something to talk about until we get to the village." He shrugged. I stole a glance at him.

"Alright." I took a moment to think. What was one of the items on the list? My stomach lurched as I remembered his mother was dead. I skipped over that question. He didn't need to relive the pain just because I wanted to know. "Do you have any brothers or sisters other than Azula?"

"Yeah," he said, kicking a twig, "I also have a little sister named Azuki." Zuko looked at me with a smile. "She's turning thirteen soon." Oh. So she was Aang's age. "She used to cling to me and Azula like a pentopus. Azula ignored her to hang out with her friends Mei and Ti Lee. But I stayed with her a lot. We'd play this board game my uncle taught us called Pai Cho." There was a brief silence. It sounded so cute that the prince had spent so much time with his little sister. Not that I could envision the prince of the Fire Nation playing a game with a little girl… I smiled to myself. "Next question."

"Let's see… Do you have half siblings? The way you answered Sokka's question made it sound like it."

"I do. After my mother died, my father remarried to this woman called Chi Lin. They had two kids: Suto and Kiso. They were twins. Born when I was six." I saw Zuko roll his eyes. "But the twins were always running around pranking soldiers for the fun of it. They made it a contest with Azula to see how many men they could trick."

"Who won?" I asked.

"The twins. Zhao ended up with a bucket of fish guts on his head." I couldn't help but laugh at that one. The sight of big tough Admiral Zhao being tricked by a couple of kids would have been an interesting one to see.

"At least one of their pranks paid off."

"And then they were grounded for three days by father." I smiled, watching Zuko do the same as he looked at the dirt ground. We plowed on through the trees, Zuko guiding the way.

"Zuko?" I was unsure of myself.

"Yes, Katara?"

"Can I ask you why Azula was after your uncle?" I regretted asking such a question. Why had I when I knew the reply would bring him pain? I wished I could retrieve the question and hid it away, but it was already out in the open. To my surprise, the Fire Nation prince didn't burst with anger, throw balls of searing fire, or threaten me.

"Sure." There was a silence. Why wasn't he answering me?

"Well?" I said impatiently.

"You didn't ask me! All you did was ask me if you could ask me the question." he said with a smile. I sent a glare his way, making him chuckle again. Again, my heart leapt into my throat. Was I going to do that every time he laughed? "Alright, 'Tara. Just don't try to kill me with your glares." I gave him a little jab in the side via elbow.

"My uncle and I were deemed traitors of the Fire Nation." I gasped. Was that why he hadn't been chasing us? Did his crew get taken away because he was a traitor? More importantly, what had went so horribly wrong that Zuko's own father had called him one?

"Zuko, for what?"

"I'm the Blue Spirit." I stopped. I had read about the Blue Spirit on wanted posters and had heard people talking about it at marketplaces. There was no way Zuko would have helped Aang! And here Zuko was, sounding completely casual about it!

"What?" I said exasperatedly.

"Oh. Aang didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" I spat. What did my friend know that I didn't?

"That I was the Blue Spirit." Zuko said simply with a shrug. I gaped at him open mouthed.

"He _knew_?"

"Don't have a heart attack." Zuko scoffed. He smirked. I kept gaping at him even after he'd turned and walked away. "Coming?" I twitched and ran after him, nearly tripping over an exposed tree root.

"So your own nation wants you locked away? That's horrible." I pitied Zuko. He had no place to go, no place to call home. My stomach churned. I thought of how upsetting it would be to me if I could never return to the South Pole. And to think Zuko had been away from the Fire Nation for three years! How could he have not gone back? Didn't he miss Azuki?

"And half of my family." the prince said bitterly. "More than half of them want me put away. I imagine Azuki is the only one that doesn't." I laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. He turned to me with sorrow and pain in his eyes.

"We're your family, too. Aang, Sokka, and I. You aren't so alone anymore." Zuko gave me a half-hearted smile and pulled me into a hug.

"That would mean my sister kissed me." he whispered in my ear. I just smiled as I pulled away and began walking again.

"You know what I mean."

"No I don't, Katara. Do you mean Aang is our kid and Sokka is my cranky brother-in-law?" Zuko said sarcastically with a huge smile. I punched his shoulder.

"Yeah, and I had Aang when I was two." He laughed.

"And Sokka beats me with a stick every time I flirt with you."

"It would be more like beat you to a pulp, throw you in the campfire, and stomp all over the ashes."

"Ow."

"Yeah. I don't know what would hurt worse: the bones or the burns." We took a side glance at each other.

"Probably the burns." we said together. We shared a laugh and he took my hand. Another silence fell over us, but it was no longer awkward. It seemed peaceful. We were enjoying each other's company and basking in the new morning light. In the back of my mind, I wondered why I was _flirting_ with him and actually _enjoying_ myself. Another part of me told me to shut up and go with it.

Zuko didn't seem like such a bad guy after all. He was much kinder and nicer than he had been. He had stories to tell and was alright with telling them to me. He opened up without me having to pry. He was easy to talk to and took my comfort. He was slightly romantic by holding my hand, but not too overbearing. I just…really liked the guy.

"Zuko, why didn't you go home? Didn't you miss Azuki?" I asked suddenly. I hadn't the slightest idea where that had come from. I felt his fingers flinch. His face paled slightly.

"I couldn't." he said softly. Right away, I could tell I'd asked a stupid question. Why couldn't I actually think before I opened my mouth? I didn't ask why. We walked quietly for a while. The crunch of the new gravel path beneath our feet told us we were getting closer to the outskirts of town.

Suddenly, Zuko stopped. I looked up at him with a questioning look. The unasked question was soon answered when he pulled a hat from his back and over his head. He positioned it carefully. Now I understood. He was covering his easily recognized scar. If he was on the run from his country, he surly needed a disguise.

"Come on." He took my hand to lead me into the marketplace.

"What should I call you?" I asked in a whisper.

Without missing a beat he said, "Lee." Had he already prepared a name? Wow. He was good. He must have been through this whole routine with his uncle before.

We wandered through the market, searching for nuts and fruit mainly for Aang and some jerky for Sokka. When we finally found them, Zuko placed a few coins in my hand. I eyed them and took a questioning glance toward him. What was he doing? He motioned to the clerk and I gave him the money, thanking him. The prince and I walked away with our finds in silence. When the clerk was out of earshot, I hissed, "What was that for?"

"You've been helping me, so I'm helping you." I gave him a skeptical look that he couldn't see. He had to walk with his eyes on the ground to avoid giving a view of his scar.

Another stand caught my attention: a pastry booth. I led Zuko over. "How much?" I asked the man.

"Two copper pieces each, but I'll give you four for six."

"Alright." I picked up four of them and fished around in my pocket for my money. Again, Zuko held out his hand with coins in his palm. I took them with a smile and gave the man his money. "Thank you." The man gave a curt nod and pointed to a deathly silent Zuko.

"What's with him? Why is his head bowed?" Crap. What was I going to do? And a thought occurred to me.

"My brother was…in the war." I said, looking away slightly. I had to make this act believable. "He was blinded by a firebender." I tried to sound forlorn. Leaning in, I whispered, "He just doesn't like people to know."

"Oh." The vender spoke with a hint of guilt from his nosiness. "Well, you better get those groceries back to your mama so she can start breakfast."

"Thank you." I said again. "Come on, Lee." I took my "brother" by the arm and led him away from the vender.

"You know, 'Tara, just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can't hear." Zuko commented haughtily. I bit back a laugh at his remark. I glanced over my shoulder to see the vender smiling and waving. Without a word the two of us headed back toward the forest.

As soon as we were out of earshot of the town, we burst out laughing. The prince leaned against a sturdy tree for support. "He just doesn't like people to know!" he laughed, quoting me. "That was a good one, 'Tara."

"I only wish you'd seen his face! He looked so ashamed that he'd even asked!"

"I'll bet." he replied with a cheery smile. "Come on. You're brother's probably trying to eat the Avatar's lemur by now." If only Zuko knew how we'd actually found Momo…

I smiled back at him as we continued onward. He took the woven bags for me and slung them over his shoulder. Again, we were quiet. I hummed a song to break the silence. When Zuko got a little bit ahead of me, I hurried up and grabbed his hand. I don't know what drove me to do it, but I did. He side-glanced me, a huge, triumphant smile plastered across his face. Was I the only person that had made him smile? My stomach fluttered at the thought. _Why wouldn't he? He likes you. _My conscious reminded me. I continued my humming as if I hadn't heard my thoughts.

When we could finally see camp, we released each other's hands. Aang was bending a stream of water around, sitting next to the fire. Sokka was mumbling into the sand where he lay clutching his stomach.

"I'm sure she'll remember the jerky." Aang said to Sokka reassuringly. How the Avatar had deciphered my brother's muffled babbling I'll never know.

"We did!" I called out. At the sight of us, Sokka jumped up and ran to meet us halfway. He nearly trampled an unsuspecting Zuko for the sack.

"How many times did you have to water whip him so he'd carry the bag?" my brother inquired, shuffling through its contents. He found what he was looking for and tore at the piece of jerky like he hadn't eaten in days.

"Wow. I wonder how hard he'd bite into that if he imagined that was me." Zuko commented.

"I don't eat junk food." Sokka said, taking another bite, "Besides, I'd just throw you in the fire." He paused. "But my jerky is too good to throw in the fire."

- - - - - - - - - -

**A/N: Hi! Hi! Hi! –shakes screen- **

**So how was it? Did you like it? Then review it!**

**Oh! Oh! Oh! Did you know you can review your own stories? I did it to mine! (don't ask me why)**

**(sorry for the hyperness, but I'm just waking up even though it's already three! HA!)**

**o**

**Leedle leedle lee!**


	9. Sunlight Kiss

_Calming Ice_

_Chapter Nine_

The ship gave a creaking lurch as it tipped slightly in the waves. The rain pounded on the decks, making an unbearable echoing ring. Princess Azula lay in her bed, hands behind her head as she looked toward the ceiling.

The storm that had started shortly after sundown was still in full tilt though it was nearly midnight. The princess had told her crew to give up in navigating through the storm about an hour ago. Only two helmsmen would stay up through the night. Their only duty was to steer the ship so that they didn't get bombarded and toppled by the great waves. The remaining crewmen were just getting to bed from their tedious task of strapping down anything that could be lost at sea. The last of their footsteps faded away.

Azula rolled to the side, staring at the dim candle on her bedside table. Was the world against her for attempting to capture the Avatar? In all honesty, she longed for her home and palace. She missed having maids and servants. Sure, some of the men would serve her food and drinks, but she truly missed having other women around. She had never noticed.

Her ears strained suddenly. Footsteps against metal were coming closer. _'Who would be so late in getting to bed?' _She wondered. _'Normally they'd be in their quarters before I could say "ginseng." Ah, what am I saying? Iroh has poisoned me with his stupid obsession.' _ Azula waited for the footfalls to turn the corner and fade in the other direction. They didn't. Instead, they stopped right in front of her door. Her eye twitched, making the flame to her candle flicker. A knock sounded at her door.

She stood and pulled open the door, prepared to shoot an angry insult toward anyone that had dared to knock on her door at this hour. She stopped when she saw who it was. There stood Akuzo, dripping wet. His armor was dark with water and his cheeks were pale. He stood straight, but shivered ever so slightly.

"Akuzo?" Azula couldn't help but forget to call him by his title.

"Princess." the captain said, bowing. "I have some news."

"What is it?" She pulled a surprised captain into her room and shut the door behind her. She picked up a stray blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders. Why she was being so kind to him, she didn't know. But he had stood up for her…

"Uh…" Akuzo quickly remembered what he was going to say, fighting back a blush. "We're running low on supplies." He gripped the edges of the blanket tightly, trying not to let his teeth chatter. He was soaked to the bone!

"Where is the closest port?" Azula asked.

"In Okashi, as of right now. Our pos-" Akuzo covered his mouth when he sneezed. "Forgive me." He sniffed. "Our position may change by morning due to the storm. The helmsman predicts a-a-" Again, the captain sneezed.

"A mile change in course." Akuzo completed. He watched in bafflement as the princess opened her top drawer. She turned to him with a handkerchief. "Thank you." He took it and wiped his nose.

"Perhaps we should ride out the storm and then decide where to go." the princess said. Akuzo nodded. There was a slight pause when their eyes met, a mix of gold and caramel brown. Azula was the first to look away. "You should get some rest. You don't want that cold to get any worse." The captain nodded again.

"Thank you, princess." Akuzo bowed again with a stifled sneeze. "I'll get the blanket and kerchief to the laundry." The princess didn't look up until the steel door clicked shut.

Why had she avoided his gaze?

- - - - - - - - - -

I hummed quietly as I sewed the rip in Sokka's pants. The fabric glowed in the firelight of the cave. When the storm struck, we had had no choice but to seek shelter. Aang was practicing his waterbending by drying Appa while my brother sat across from me, munching on a pear. Zuko sat with his back to the wall of the stone cave, staring at the dancing fire. I tied the seam and threw my pant less brother his sewn garment.

"Gee, thanks." His voice was muffled by the fabric over his face.

"You're lucky I even sewed them again." I replied with a smile. I stood and made my way over to the pot on the fire. I stirred the stew and took a taste of it. "Hmmm."

I turned to Zuko. "Busy?" He arched a curious eyebrow. "All I need is a second opinion." I raised the spoon for him to see. He came over to take a taste. I fed it to him, careful not to drip any on his shirt. "Too salty?" I inquired. He shook his head.

"It's good." A smile drifted across my face, causing a small one to come to his.

- - - - - - - - - -

Aang felt his blood boil for the thousandth time that day. He had seen Zuko and Katara share "secret" smiles all day long. They thought no one noticed but they did. He did. He saw the way Katara had giggled about something he'd said and the way her beautiful blue eyes would light up. But he would not let them know he knew.

- - - - - - - - - -

I turned to take the pot off the stove and nearly jumped when I saw Sokka standing there.

"Is it done?" His eyes sparkled in anticipation. I dished him up a bowl, watching him drool with laced fingers. He took it and slurped, almost spitting it out. "HOT!" he screamed. He fell to the floor and writhed, clutching his throat. I rolled my eyes as I handed Zuko his helping.

"Thanks." He replied, taking a seat. He acted as if Sokka wasn't visible. Aang came over and took a bowl with a humongous grin.

"Thanks, Katara." He inhaled the steam. "It smells delicious." The monk stepped over my brother and took a seat on the wall opposite of Zuko. Sokka joined Aang, blowing on the surface of the stew to cool it. He took another bite, followed by another and another. Soon he was just slurping it. I shook my head and sat with Zuko.

"Vis is eally ood, ara." Sokka said, swallowing. He went back to the pot for a second helping. The Avatar gave a nod with a wide grin. We all turned to the campfire when we heard Sokka shriek again. There he was, writhing on the ground, clutching his throat.

"HOT!" I guess his moment of intelligence was over.

- - - - - - - - - -

Akuzo blew his nose into a handkerchief and sneezed violently. He lay back on his pillow. As if on cue, a healer came into the room with a small drawstring bag and a cup. He pulled a stool up to the bed and felt the captain's forehead without a word. He checked his pulse and looked at his eyes.

"This tea," he said, pulling a bundle of herbs from his bag, "Three times a day for the next two days should do it. Don't get out of bed until tomorrow." It appeared the healer wasn't very talkative because he left quickly, not shutting the door behind him.

Akuzo sighed and was about to sit up to fix his medicine when someone pushed him back in the bed by his shoulder. "You heard the healer." His eyes widened as he watched none other than Princess Azula pour water over the herb bundle. She used firebending to heat it. She set the cup down and propped the captain up on his pillows. What was she doing? Was she _helping _him? More importantly, _why _was she helping him?

"Princess, you really don't have to help me. I'm-" Akuzo cut himself off with a sneeze.

"I've already given the command to go to the port, so I don't have anything else to do." Azula replied dazedly, removing the bundle from the cup. She handed it to him and sat on the edge of his bed. Akuzo nearly choked when he saw her get so close to him voluntarily. He gave a small cough and sipped his tea. He looked toward his bedspread and a silence began.

"You can call me Azula, you know."

"What?"

"Azula." the princess repeated, locking her gaze with his. "It's my name." Akuzo's jaw was slack in surprise. Of course he knew it was her name! He only called her "princess" because it was her title. Another silence ensued.

"Thank you." Akuzo said suddenly. "It's nice of you to help." He gave a weak smile before his twitching nose sent him into a sneezing fit. Azula couldn't help but smile.

- - - - - - - - - -

I woke bright and early the next morning. The sun was barely over the horizon. Glancing around the cave, I saw only Sokka was left in his sleeping bag. I crawled out of my own and exited the tent to see what Zuko and Aang were up to.

The crystal sand beneath my toes was warm and welcoming. I trudged along the sand dunes of the beach, untying my braid in the process. Knots were untangled by my fingers. My eyes scanned the water's edge for the boys. I was surprised to find no one I sight. Were they training in the prairie grass? That would be pretty stupid. 'Oh, let's set the grass on fire! It'll be-'

My thoughts were cut short as a strong pair of arms pulled me into the grass. My captor and I fell over, my back to his chest. I turned over to see Zuko staring at me with a wide smile on his face. "Morning, 'Tara." he whispered in my ear. I felt my spine tingle in the way he said it. Feather light lips brushed a kiss on my forehead.

"Morning." I said, trying to sit up. He kept a firm grip on my waist.

"What's the rush?"

"I was looking for you and Aang."

"So?" Zuko asked innocently. He looked like a small child with his innocent look on.

"Do you know where he is?" I tried to keep a serious tone. I could tell Zuko was trying to make me laugh. I wouldn't give him that satisfaction no matter how funny he looked.

"Well, I think your son migh-" I shoved him lightly in the chest. A chuckle escaped him. "I don't know. He probably went searching for something to eat. He can't eat meat all the time if he hasn't before." I nodded. "So will you stay?"

"What?"

"Will you stay and watch the sunrise with me?" His copper eyes were begging me. A smile danced its way onto my face.

"Sure." I answered. Zuko pulled me back down with him, resting my head on his muscular chest. His arms wrapped around me as we looked at the rays of light rise higher and higher in the sky. I felt myself blushing, wondering how I'd ever gotten this close to the Prince of the Fire Nation. Not that he was a prince anymore…

Zuko kissed my forehead again, making me look up. Our eyes seemed like they were glued together in an entranced swirl of copper and blue. His face inched closer to mine and our eyes fluttered closed. Our lips met softly, and then began their passionate dance.

"Katara!" My eyes shot open.

- - - - - - - - - -

**A/N: Ooooo! A cliffy! Sorry to tick you off, but this seemed like the perfect place to end it.**


	10. Another Kiss and Scars

_Calming Ice _

_Chapter Ten_

My blood ran cold. It was Aang. Damn! His voice seemed close. I sat up quickly, pulling Zuko along. My finger went to my lips to signal to him not to say anything as I strained my ears with all my might to hear where my friend was.

"Katara! Zuko! Sokka's packing camp up and he wants our help!" The bald monk was walking along the sand between the grass and shoreline. His hands were held to his face, making his voice carry. I stood and pulled Zuko out of the grass by the ear. I put on a mask of anger. The ex-prince's face contorted in pain as he tried to pry my fingers from his ear.

"We're right here, Aang!" I called out. My friend jogged to meet us. He gave a questioning look toward me, seeing as I had a death grip on Zuko. I dropped him and he fell face first into the sand. "Next time we spar, don't be such a sore loser." I spat at him. He only blinked the sand from his eyes as he stood. Aang couldn't help but laugh. Zuko began his walk toward the cave, mumbling under his breath. Aang grinned.

"Morning, Kat." was his sing-song greeting. He gave me a one-armed hug and turned to follow Zuko. I fell into step with the Avatar.

"So where were you this morning?"

"Taking a bath. I felt disgusting."

"Now if only Sokka had that mentality." I joked. My friend's smile radiated happiness.

"That would be too easy." He commented, bending a stream of water from a tide pool. "Hopefully Zuko bathes at least once a year." He looked back at me with sparkling gray eyes that danced with laughter.

After packing up our belongings, we loaded Appa. Sokka was sure to strap things down. He was mumbling about me using his sleeping bag to smother the flame on Appa when we were under attack. But it wasn't like I'd done it on purpose or anything… We climbed aboard. Appa took to the sky with Aang's signature call of "Yip-yip!"

Hours passed nearly silent. Only the distant crash of waves and the whipping of the wind could be heard. I ate an apple thoughtfully, watching Aang and Zuko watch the horizon for signs of Azula's vessel. Momo bounded across the saddle, hopping back and forth on his toes, waving his winged arms about. He chattered and motioned to my apple core. I smiled and gave it to him. Momo was grateful for the simplest of things.

Sokka was looking over a map when he motioned us all to come over. We gathered around, peering down at a few stray islands he was pointing to. "We pass these on the way to Kyoshi. I figured we could stop at this one," he pointed, "and this one since they have marketplaces. At this rate, we'll be at Kyoshi in three days." My stomach churned as I remembered my one-sided conversation with Yue a few nights prior.

"Uh, Sokka? Don't you think the citizens would be angry if Zuko was with us?" I asked. Everyone's gaze fell on me and then switched over to Zuko.

"Crap!" Sokka hissed under his breath.

"I didn't think of that." Aang said with a bowed head. He frowned in thought.

"Katara." Zuko's voice made me look up. "I doubt they'd recognize me without my scar."

- - - - - - - - - -

Akuzo sat in his bed, reading. He put his book down on his bedside table with a forlorn sigh. Life was so incredibly boring when he was sick. There was nothing to do but read and think. Sure, he could meditate, but because of his sneezing, his firebending was poor. He looked at the time candle on his desk. As it hit a marker, a crackle sounded. Noon. Azula should be in any minute now.

As if on cue, the princess walked in, carrying with her a cup of steaming tea. "Hello, Akuzo." she said rather pleasantly, taking her usual seat next to him on the bed.

"Hello Azula." the captain responded, sitting up. He took his cup and sipped the bitter tea. He coughed and cleared his throat. He knew the potent drink was working, but he still hated the taste.

"How are you feeling?"

"Lots better, thanks." Akuzo set his cup next to his book and turned to face the princess. Why was she waiting on him? She was a princess. It was not her place to wait on someone! He could take care of himself. He looked over at her, gazes locked once again. There was a slight silence. She'd spent the whole day talking with him yesterday, so they were running out of things to say about their past.

"What are you reading?" she asked suddenly. He perked up at the sound of her voice.

"Oh," he said, picking up the book, "it's a little fairy tale my sister wrote." He handed it to her. She held his place, leafing to the front. She scanned the first page.

"She has beautiful calligraphy. I can tell she's talented in her writing, too." The princess handed the captain his book.

"Yeah. She's always wanted to make a living off of it."

"What's she like?"

"Oh, well…" Akuzo was slightly taken aback by Azula's interest, but went ahead. "Her name is Mi Li and she's fourteen. She looks almost exactly like me: same dark hair, same brown eyes. My mother always said if she cut her hair and got taller, people would confuse us." He gave a small laugh. "But I doubt that was possible.

When she was eight or so, our mother asked her what she wanted for her birthday. She wanted a calligraphy pen and a few pieces of paper. She had made her own ink already, from berries and things. But paper was hard for us to come by. We didn't have much money since our father had left to fight in the war. So I told my mother not to worry about it. I helped a man pick fruit on his farm to pay for it." When he'd finished, Akuzo let a smile tug at his lips.

"And she's been writing ever since. She earns her own money to print the books and sells them, just to help our mother out a bit." Azula smiled kindly. The captain's heart skipped a beat. There she was, smiling again, just like at Music and Poker Night. His gaze fell on her lightly painted lips, but he wrenched himself from his staring.

"It sounds like you miss her." Akuzo looked away.

"I do." The princess laid a comforting hand on the captain's arm, making him look back. Why was she being so kind?

"You'll see her again soon." she reassured him. He gave a nod. "Finish up your tea. I'll be back later."

With a light kiss to his cheek, Azula was out the door. It clicked behind her, but the captain barely registered it. His chocolate eyes were wide and unfocused. His hand flew to his cheek where the princess had kissed him.

_She kissed me. _He thought. No, really? We couldn't tell!

- - - - - - - - - -

Azula's footsteps rang through the steel hallways. The lit torches on the walls gave off a steady glow of red-tinted light. She smiled, thinking of Akuzo. She knew it was stupid to kiss him like that, but she couldn't help it. After all, he was three years older and the war was still going on. She knew she should have been doing something like trying to figure out where the Avatar might have gone, but she had given the command to dock. They couldn't do anything without supplies first.

Part of her told her that it was alright to like Akuzo in such a way. He was kind and courageous. He was polite and oh so adorable. She blushed at the thought. Had she really said that when she'd been drunk?

But another part of her told her she shouldn't get romantically involved with him. This was a war and she had to bring home the Avatar. She had better things to do than flirt with boys. This was her ship and it seemed inappropriate to have an intimate relationship with the _captain _of her ship. She knew her father was and had been for the past two years, searching for a suitable groom for her. It was his job to find her a husband, not hers. It was a tradition for the daughter to be married off by her father.

But all the same, Azula still liked Akuzo.

The princess came to the iron barred door of the prison hold and took the keys from the sleeping form of the guard. She nudged him awake, merely arching an eyebrow. He scurried to his feet, stiff as a board. "Get to bed earlier." she told him, unlocking the door and stepping inside. The baffled guard took it as a sign from the heavens that he hadn't been barbecued.

Another guard sat outside Iroh's cell on a crate. Between them was a game board on another crate. Pai Cho. The two were staring intently at the board as if it held some magnificent secret. Azula crossed her arms and waited for them to notice her. The guard moved a piece on the board and Iroh looked up.

"Ah, Princess Azula. What brings you here?" Iroh asked leisurely. Hearing the princess being acknowledged, the guard leapt to his feet at attention, just as the other had done.

"Won't you give us a moment?" Azula asked.

"Yes, princess." The guard bowed and nearly ran out of the prison hold. Azula paid him no mind and took a seat on the crate across from Iroh. She examined the board.

"He's setting you up for an easy win, Uncle." she said softly, looking up. Iroh bent low over the board, squinting as if that would help him see.

"How?" he asked, scratching his bald head.

"Like this." Azula moved a piece, jumping over several others. Iroh's eyes widened in a mix of shock and horror. It was true. He would have lost in the very next move. He had not lost a game of Pai Cho in years!

"I did not see that!"

"Right." Azula said, setting up the board for another game. She looked up at him, hands folded. Iroh silently wondered why she was not questioning him. She only watched him, but her gaze was not boring into him as if it were reading his soul. It was merely curious. He suppressed an involuntary shudder. Why was this unnerving him? He was once the great general of the Fire Nation army! He should be able to handle a simple look from his fifteen year old niece!

"I'm not going to tell you where he is, Azula." Iroh said calmly. Azula smiled. This only confused Iroh even more. Her smile wasn't an evil smirk. It was serene and calm.

"I don't care right now. I'm in pursuit of the Avatar at the moment." Iroh lifted an eyebrow.

"Why are you so happy, Princess Azula?"

"Who's happy?" the princess said rather quickly. Too quickly. A smile spread across Iroh's wrinkled face.

"Is it a boy?" he asked knowingly. Azula paled and then turned pink. Damn him and his stupid ancient wisdom! How did he always know? Unable to hold her gaze on him, she looked away. Iroh's smile widened. "What is he like?" He crossed his arms and looked at the princess innocently.

Azula regained her composure and stared at her uncle. She wrinkled her nose and furrowed her brows. "You think I'd actually fall for one of my crew members? How crazy are you?"

"So he's a crew member." Iroh said with a nod. "Go on."

"Who said he was a crew member?" Azula spat with venom.

"You did a moment ago. And I was right."

"Who said you were right?"

"You did a moment ago."

"You're tricking me again!"

"So is he a nobleman?" Iroh asked sweetly.

"No! Ther-"

"No? Is his father in the war?"

"Stop it, Uncle!" Azula said angrily.

"Stop what?"

- - - - - - - - - -

The two guards sat outside the prison hold, listening to the conversation between the princess and the ex-general Iroh. They argued back and forth for several minutes. The guards had to use all of their will power not to laugh. Iroh was great at getting answers.

But the guards already knew who the princess was falling for.

- - - - - - - - - -

"What?" Aang asked.

"I don't think they'd recognize me without my scar." Zuko repeated.

"But…" Sokka began. He pointed to the scarred teen, trying to piece together what he was proposing. He squinted at Zuko, making Aang laugh. The firebender kept a straight face. "Hey!" my brother nearly yelled. "You just want Katara to heal your scar so you can run away from us and not be afraid of being found!"

"Haven't I already proved my loyalty?" Zuko challenged, temper rising. "I helped with meals and packing, gave you navigating advice, trained the Avatar, and saved your sorry, ungrateful ass from my bitchy sister and what do I get?" Zuko stood and towered over my fearful brother. "I get your complaining, insults, anger, and temper and on top of that, you don't trust me! You're constantly hovering over me, afraid I'll hurt Aang or Katara! I'm tired of it! So if you don't trust me, drop me off at the next damn island!"

Zuko sat across the saddle from Sokka, arms crossed and a death glare plastered to his face. Sokka glared back, equally unnerving. Aang and I watched the situation unfold in silence. "Fine." my brother muttered. He took the reins from the Avatar and steered Appa toward an enormous island a little ways off to the east. My stomach plummeted.

"Sokka, get us back on course!" I told him. He looked back at me with shock in his eyes.

"What?"

"You heard me! Aang needs a firebending teacher. He's coming with us whether you like it or not." I pulled Zuko toward me by the arm, laying his head in my lap. I saw anger flash through Aang's gray eyes; confusion in Sokka's. Without a word, I pulled out my water pouch.

- - - - - - - - - -

**A/N: Hi, everyone! waves**

**Like it? Love it? Review it!**

"**It's free pie…and chips. It's free pie and chips." –Gecko from the Gieco commercial**

**wipes eye from laughing so hard**

**I love that commercial. I have no idea why.**


	11. Aaaaah! Too Much Fluff!

**A/N: Sorry for the slow update! My internet crashed again! And no, that is not just an excuse. Oh yeah. This will be the last purly fluff chapter for a while. I need to get back to the plot. **

**.:sticks out tongue:.**

_Calming Ice_

_Chapter Eleven_

Azula sat quietly, inhaling deeply. The flames around her wavered slightly with her miniscule movement. _'Be one with the flame.' _The girl commanded herself. She parted her lips as she exhaled, making a quiet hissing noise.

'_It is a part of you.' _In through the nose.

'_You are a part of _it_.' _Out through the mouth.

'_You move together.' _Her mind whispered. The steady waver and flicker of the candles made the shadows dance. A yellow glow of light was cast across the metal floor and clashed with the swirling darkness of the room.

'_Breath together.' _Her exposed stomach tightened.

'_You will fight together.' _

The princess's mind was calm and quiet, void of all thought other than her meditation. She sat without movement or noise save her breathing. Her legs were crossed while she sat on a comfortable cushion. It was an hour after sunset. That had occurred around eight. This was Azula's routine every night before she turned in and surrendered herself to dreamland.

Inhale…Exhale…Tighten…Relax…In…Out…Brea—

_Knock, knock. _

Her eyes snapped open and the candles flared momentarily. What was with all of the late night intrusions lately? With a final exhale, she extinguished the candles and stepped out of the circle. _'This better be good.' _Azula hissed in her head. She wrenched open the door. Her angered face evaporated.

"I hope I didn't wake you, Azula."

"No, Akuzo." the princess said, "I was only meditating." He nodded and their eyes met. A jolt of electricity flowed threw them, though it didn't feel like firebending in the least. It felt…amazing. Blushing, they simultaneously looked away.

"Well," Akuzo began, breaking the silence, "We're approaching the dock." The princess gave a curt nod. With a smile, Akuzo said, "And the crew teamed up on me again." The girl couldn't help but smile back at him. He was so handsome and charming and sweet…

"Go ahead, but I want to leave port by morning." Right after the words passed her lips, Azula wished she had some more self control. But she couldn't help it! Akuzo had a way of making all rational thoughts vanish. Like that kiss. The princess tried to block it out, but to no avail. An image of her painted lips making contact with his soft cheek swam through her thoughts.

"So are you going to come?" the captain asked. The girl was about to remind him about the last time, but he cut in. "I'll be sure to punch anyone that offers you any rum." He leaned against the doorframe coolly. Azula arched an eyebrow.

"Hmm?"

"Alright." Azula agreed. "I'll be there." Akuzo grinned and went off to begin the festivities.

- - - - - - - - - -

Sokka and Aang (surprise, surprise, shock, shock) had long since fallen asleep. The dying fire hissed and popped. I sat up, knowing _he _wasn't asleep yet. And he wasn't.

Zuko sat up against a tree trunk. He was staring into the glowing coals of the fire with a glazed expression. His hand seemed glued to the left side of his face. The side that had been burned. _Had. _And now it was normal and smooth. No sign indicated that a hideous mark had ever been there. It was almost as if the history of it was wiped away. But I knew there were things he remembered that my water healing could never erase.

I stood from my bedroll, walking over to him quietly. He only looked up once I crouched next to him, laying a cool hand on his muscled shoulder.

"Can't sleep?" I whispered. He shook his head. "Want to go for a walk?" He nodded plain and simple. Words seemed to be failing him. We stood and slipped into the woods without a word.

Once we were out of ear shot of camp, I spoke. "What's wrong?" I inquired. In the hints of moonlight, I could see him glance at me.

"I don't know." His voice was soft, almost fragile. "I guess…" He paused, thinking for the right words. Absentmindedly, he took his hand in mine. "I don't know."

"You mean you don't want to talk about it?"

"No!" he said quickly. "It's just strange for it not to be there."

"Oh." I said softly. We walked quietly, hand in hand. We approached a clearing and sat against a boulder to look up at the sparkling stars. I sighed, rubbing my arms to keep warm. Zuko saw this and pulled me closer. He pulled my head to his chest as he rested his head on mine. He breathed deeply. His heart beat steadily in his chest and I felt my eyes flutter closed.

"Where did we leave off this morning?" he whispered into my ear. I shivered. His fingers delicately lifted my chin so our lips met in a passionate kiss.

- - - - - - - - - -

Azula stepped out onto the metal deck. The festivities were already under way. Men played their instruments strong and loud. The beat was thrumming as people danced across the floor. But tonight they didn't seem like soldiers. They were in casual clothes and were only trying to have a good time.

As soon as the princess took a step, she found someone standing in front of her. "Hello, Azula." Akuzo said with a smile.

"Akuzo." she said, a delicate smile ebbing onto her face. Akuzo felt butterflies in his stomach. This girl had _kissed _him. She was the _princess _of the Fire Nation!

"So…" The young man put a hand behind his head in nervousness. "Do--" Just as he was about to speak, one of his friends came over and thumped him on the back, making Akuzo lean slightly.

"Hey, Akuzo. Come on over with the guys. Riu is a riot!" his friend said. He turned to Princess Azula. "Do you want to join us, princess?" The captain and princess shared a quick glance.

"Sure."

- - - - - - - - - -

Zuko pulled me closer to him, deepening the kiss. I felt his hand on my waist, warm and caring. His lips moved with mine as my hands trailed around his neck. His other hand found my cheek. He held it in his palm as if he did anything else, I'd disappear. He pulled away slightly so only our noses touched. We sat like that for a moment; mouths open, sharing warm air and staring into each other's eyes.

"Your eyes are beautiful." Zuko whispered.

"And yours are handsome." I breathed. The hand cupping my cheek trailed backward to my braid. He teased that and the bun out without breaking eye contact. I felt his fingers comb through my chocolate hair.

"I like your hair down." he whispered, pulling me into an embrace. He nuzzled into my hair, his warm breath on my shoulder. Was this actually happening? Was Zuko actually being so affectionate? He pulled back again, kissing my lips softly. "We should go back." I nodded, wishing that we could stay if only a little longer.

- - - - - - - - -

The younger men of the ship accompanied by Azula sat at a table talking and eating. There were nuts and dumplings to snack on and rum (and in Azula's case, apple cider) to drink. A young man named Riu was telling stories about his crazy family, making jokes all the way. Azula wasn't particularly enjoying herself, but every so often her knee would brush with Akuzo's, sending a wave of electricity through them both. For that, she would stay.

"And then my sister goes: you can't even dance!" Some of the young men at the table started laughing. The storyteller got thumped on the back.

"You can't dance?" one of them asked.

"Hell no!"

"How hard is it to dance?" the guy spoke again.

"Imagine having two left feet." Riu commented.

"What dance was it?"

"None in particular."

"What song?"

"Fire Step." Riu told them. The air around the princess filled with a series of oooooooooos.

"The Fire Step is easy!" one of the men called out. Azula could finally relate to what they were talking about. At the palace, not only was she expected to learn to fight but to be able to dance as well. Her father claimed it attracted men and it was a very sociable thing. The dance was rather complicated, but she had mastered it. _'You make a dance sound like bending.' _She said to herself.

"Oh, come on now. How many people here can actually do that, raise your hand." Two hands rose in the air: the former and Akuzo's. More oooooooooos were called out.

"Come on, really. Show us then." The other guy put down his hand. "Akuzo?"

"Fine. You really want to see?" the captain challenged. "Then go tell the musicians to play it."

"Are you going to dance by yourself?" someone challenged.

"Depends." Akuzo said, turning to Princess Azula. "Will you be my partner, Azula?" The roaring men quieted. Azula felt nervousness crawl in the pit of her stomach. _'Go on!' _she screamed at herself.

"Depends, Akuzo," she said, crossing her arms, "if you can keep up."

"Ooooooo."

- - - - - - - - -

**A/N: I know. Really short chappie. And another crappie chappie. But my internet crashed again and I couldn't update so I wanted to update really fast!**

**.:screams and throws fit:.**


	12. Training, Nieces and Nephews

I woke up early again. Zuko was sitting at his tree, leaning against it, chewing. A handful of red berries rested in his hand. Aang was just crawling out of his sleeping bag himself. Sokka was still sleeping, but that wasn't much of a surprise. The glowing sun was just peeking over the line of the forest.

"Morning, Katara." Zuko said from his spot. Aang turned, freezing mid-stretch.

"Morning." I replied.

"Hi, Kat." Aang piped up, broad grin stretching across his face.

"Hi." I went over to the fire pit. There were still a few glowing embers in it. I picked up a log and put it in. Immediately, the fire kicked up. Those were some hot coals. I was just about to stand when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me from behind. My first thought was _Does Zuko want Aang to kill him? _But the blue lines snaking down the arms around me indicated that it was Aang hugging me. _I should have known. _I said to myself.

I felt his breath on my cheek. From the corner of my eye, I saw Zuko glaring daggers toward the Avatar, fists clenched. I felt Aang smile as he pulled away.

"I'm going to go practice." the monk announced, pulling his shirt on over his head. With a wave, he headed into the forest in search of another clearing. As soon as he was out of earshot, I cracked up laughing. Zuko arched a questioning eyebrow.

"You should have seen your face!" I replied to his unasked question, still laughing. Zuko grumbled something inaudible. "What?"

"I said the kid's lucky he's the world's last hope." The exiled prince smiled, arms crossed.

"Look out world, Zuko's going soft." I said.

"The day Zuko goes soft is the day I wear panty hose." We both turned to see my tired brother crawl out of his sleeping bag, rubbing his eyes.

"You mean they didn't make you at Kyoshi?" Zuko asked. He and I burst into a fit of laughter. Sokka sent us death glares.

"I'm going to go help Aang with his training." I said. Sokka began sputtering in protest, saying I had to cook breakfast. "No. Eat some berries or cook for yourself." I set off into the forest in search of Aang, re-braiding my hair as I went. I found him near a wide river, deep in concentration. His shirt laid on the sand and he was waterbending. I had to admit, he was very close to being a master. Now all we needed was a master earthbender and he could complete his training.

I smirked, seeing he didn't notice my presence. I summoned a thin stream of water and lashed out with a water whip, striking the nape of his pale neck. He dropped his water and his hand flew to the reddening spot on his neck. He faced me grimacing.

"I love you too, Katara." I laughed.

"So do you want a sparring partner?"

"If my partner doesn't water whip me when I'm not paying attention, then sure." Aang eased into a standing position and smiled broadly.

"Okay. You just have to pay attention." I replied.

"Again?" he asked mockingly.

"Again." He pulled up his arms suddenly, summoning a massive wave. "Hey! Wait!" I yelled. He froze, pulling the water back. "Clothes." I said, motioning to my clothes. "I am _not _walking around wet all day." Aang rolled his eyes and back-flopped into the water.

I stripped down to my underclothes and assumed a ready position across from my friend. The water was nice and cool and came almost to my knees. I felt the grainy sand beneath my feet. My opponent stood up and mirrored my position. Our eyes locked as we stood there for a moment. Neither of us moved. The Avatar finally lost his patients and sent a strong wave rolling my way.

I rose myself up using a column of ice and parted the oncoming wave. With a sweeping motion, I pulled up several more columns and raced across them toward Aang. As I went, I flung icicles at him. He fended them off with the octopus form. He fired the projectiles in front of me, making me stop running. This was just what he was hoping for. I felt the column of ice beneath me give way as it warmed abruptly and melted, sending me splashing into the water.

Before I could come up for air, I felt myself being lifted. I opened my eyes and found that my opponent had brought me up in a wave. Aang froze the water in place. He smiled.

"Looks like I--" Aang was cut off by a flame soaring toward him. He stumbled back and fell into the water. Our eyes found a shirtless Zuko standing on the bank.

"Need another opponent?" he asked casually. Aang smirked. Why was it he only smirked around Zuko?

"Me against you or me against you and Katara?" Aang inquired, using a tone similar to Zuko's.

"Go with the later."

"You're on." Aang took a waterbending stance while Zuko took a firebending one. _Not going to help me? _I thought sarcastically. As the boys began the fight, I released myself from the hold of the ice.

Zuko got knocked backward from a wave from the Avatar. Aang's back was toward me, and he didn't seem to take note of my presence. Again, I formed a thin stream of water and sent a whip toward his neck. He grabbed the spot and whipped around.

"Hey!"

"I told you- you have to pay attention!" I sent a ball of ice hurtling in his direction followed by a wave of water. Aang imitated my earlier stunt by raising himself on a column of ice and parting the water. He sent some toward Zuko, who only evaporated it with a fireball. I vaguely noticed Aang was keeping Zuko and me apart so we couldn't work together. His strategy was working.

The Avatar raced across columns of ice, tossing balls of ice and daggers at us as he went. I pushed them into his path and unfroze the pillar he was standing on.

"If you're going to imitate my moves, work out the problems first!" I said, smiling. I froze the water around his feet. He thrust a wave toward me. While I was being pushed backward, he unfroze his feet. Zuko stepped up to him and flipped, sending a wave of flame from his leg. Aang dodged it and sweep kicked his firebending teacher. The ex-prince jumped and sent another flame at the monk's chest. Aang flew back into the water and came up sputtering.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" Zuko called to him. The younger boy rose up in a tornado of water and sent a funnel of it Zuko's way. I flicked out several water whips, throwing Aang off his balance. He came up again, fighting off an oncoming Zuko with the octopus form. Zuko evaporated the water and sweep kicked his student.

Aang jumped at the last second. "So can you!" He kicked out toward the firebender's head, sending a stream of water with it. Zuko flew backward into me and we splashed into the water. Aang brought us up together in a wave and froze us that way.

"Now I know I win." the Avatar said, breathing hard.

"Yeah, you do." Zuko said. The ice melted and I stood up. "That was clever using firebending movements but bending water instead. At first, I was surprised you were going to bend fire with Katara around, but the water was a complete surprise." Zuko made his way to the bank.

"The kick?" I asked. "That was a firebending move?"

"Yeah." Aang said. "Zuko showed it to me so I could practice the movement. He never said I couldn't bend another element with it." The boy smiled ear to ear. Steam rose from Zuko as he dried himself off. I waterbended what I could out of my underclothes and hair. Aang dried himself with a gust of wind.

Zuko turned to face me. "You've gotten better since the North Pole."

"Thanks." I said, slipping on my baggy navy pants. I felt Zuko's eyes on me, even after I turned away.

- - - - - - - - - -

As Aang pulled his shirt over his head, he spotted Zuko. Well, not Zuko, but the way he was looking at something. The monk cast his gaze in the direction he was looking. His eyes found Katara. She was pulling on her pants, not aware Zuko was watching her every move. His stomach twinged as he realized something: Katara was half naked.

Sure, it was one thing for her brother or him to see her in that state of dress, but Zuko? He was after all, a teenage boy about Katara's age. And even Aang thought she was pretty. Beautiful. Who was to say the exiled Prince Brat didn't think the same thing? Again, Aang felt his blood boil.

Katara was too good for Zuko. Besides, Aang liked her, so the firebender needed to back off.

- - - - - - - - -

Azula woke up early the next morning. She felt surprisingly happy. She had a great time at Music Night, dancing with Akuzo. Even after the Fire Step had ended, they had danced for hours after. The princess had to admit, the captain was quite good. And one of the best parts was that she didn't have a hangover.

She rolled out of bed, going into her private bathroom for a good long soak in the tub. The warm water and fresh oil scents soothed her. She figured she deserved this; there was a long day ahead of her.

After an hour or so, she got out of the cooled water and dried off with a fluffy towel. Azula dressed in her heavy armor, sighing. She put up her hair and exited her room, letting her sure footsteps ring out in the hallways. The two guards stood tall as she came up to them, at the door of the prison hold.

"Good morning, gentlemen." she said, rather cheerfully (A/N: don't spazz. Azula's not being cheerful, but cheerful for her).

"Good morning, Princess Azula." two of them said in unison. She passed them, entering the dungeon. When she was gone, they exchanged glances and let out a sigh of utter relief. Had Akuzo done this to her? And to think that it had all started with a hangover… They choked back laughter.

Azula found Iroh sitting in his cell, playing a game of solitaire. He looked up when she arrived at the door of his cell. "Hello, Princess Azula." he said cheerfully.

"Hello." The princess took a seat on a crate sitting outside the iron-barred doors.

"So how was Music Night last night?" Iroh questioned, turning to his niece with sparkling eyes. Azula's eye twitched. How had the old man known about that? "One of the guards told me about it."

"Well I--"

"What's this I hear about you dancing with a boy?" Iroh asked, amusement clear as day in his voice.

"I--"

"I hear he's the captain. And that he was what you were screaming about a few days ago." Azula's mouth fell open. She snapped it shut and narrowed her eyes. The happy feelings from that morning were gone in a flash. "So can I be expecting great nieces and nephews soon? Because Zuko certainly doesn't seem promis--"

"Uncle, I'm fourteen!" the princess hissed.

"Yes, well…" Both of them looked up when someone stepped into the room.

"Forgive me for interrupting." It was Akuzo. Azula could have died on the spot but the captain kept talking. "Azula, the helmsman is pulling out of port and wants to know where you wish to go."

"Thank you, Akuzo." Azula stood and exited the room, leaving Akuzo and Iroh alone. She was glad to be out of the awkward situation. Just as the captain was about to leave, Iroh called him back.

"Are you the captain of this ship?" Iroh asked.

"Yes. Why?"

"Ah, come sit for a minute, boy." Iroh gestured to the crate the princess had been sitting on. Akuzo sat, puzzled at what Retired General Iroh could possibly want with him. Iroh crossed his hands, looking very official.

"Captain Akuzo, what are your feelings about children?"

- - - - - - - - - -

**A/N: Hi, people! This is the first chapter in a while that I think turned out very well. I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know if you have any suggestions!**


	13. Arrival to Kyoshi

**A/N: Yay! Chappie thirteen! **

_Calming Ice_

_Chapter Thirteen_

"Children?" Akuzo asked, confused. What was this man saying?

"Yes, children. What are your thoughts on them?" Iroh replied, voice calm and even. The young captain's eyebrow arched.

"I don't understand. Why do you want to know?"

"Well," The ex-general sat back in his seat with a heavy exhale, "I hear you danced with my niece last night." His eyes met Akuzo's, seeming to bore into the boy's soul. Akuzo felt his heart race and his eye gave a twitch. This man was…was he…? Agni, was he asking if he would marry Azula? He was surprised he didn't fall off of his chair. Iroh gave a small laugh, making his stomach shake.

"All I am saying is that Azula is a hard nut to crack." Iroh's eyes danced with mischief. "You see, I have been keeping touch with my brother," he leaned in closer, whispering, "unbeknownst to my nephew." Akuzo's eye twitched again at mention of the Fire Lord.

"He has been searching for a man for her to wed for almost two years. Everyone he has found acceptable, she has declined. She has not been interested in boys at all." Iroh smiled. "I am glad that you are breaking her of that streak." He gave a nod.

"Sir--" Akuzo started. The old firebender held up a hand.

"Do not attempt to fool me. My vision may be worsening but I can still see what is going on." Iroh leaned closer, motioning the captain to do the same. "Her fifteenth birthday is in a week you know." He paused. "She does not tell many, but she likes to read." Iroh winked and waved the confused boy away.

Halfway down the hallway, the captain was still baffled. Azula's birthday was in a week… She liked to read… What did that man say those things for anyway? Well, Azula did say he was rather "eccentric" and he did have somewhat of an obsession with tea. He'd been in the war and been on a boat with his nephew for almost three years. Perhaps the old man really was going crazy. And then it hit him like a ton of bricks: Iroh was suggesting he buy her a birthday present. A book! How could he have missed that? In a flash, he took off toward his room.

Azula was walking back toward the prison hold when she saw Akuzo running down the opposite hall. She also happened to notice he was running from the direction of the dungeons. Her eyes narrowed and she quickened her pace. When she entered the prison hold, Iroh looked up to her with innocent eyes.

"What did you say to him?" she growled.

"I showed him my battle scar." Iroh said simply, lifting up the shirt just enough to expose his stomach. The princess, however, turned and shielded herself from the view.

"I don't want to see it!"

- - - - - - - - - -

**(A few days later)**

After a long day of flying and several arguments between Sokka and Zuko, land was finally in sight. Aang was beaming ear to ear yet again. Appa grunted in relief. Up ahead was the outline of an island growing bigger and bigger as we flew. Kyoshi Island. Sokka leaned over the saddle to talk to our driver.

"How long will it take to get there?" He was excited; anyone with eyes could see that. Hell, even half-blind King Bumi could see that. But why I could only guess. Maybe he liked wearing that dress and makeup more than we thought. Or maybe he likes Suki as more than a friend. Don't ask me how I know—I just do.

"Less than half an hour." Aang replied, scratching Momo's head. Sokka flopped back with a contented sigh. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"What?" he asked. "I just want to see how much better I've gotten at fighting."

"Even I can tell you're lying." Zuko said from across the saddle. "And stop staring at me." How Zuko could tell my brother was staring at him was a mystery to me. His head was turned.

"So, Zuko, what should we call you here?" Aang asked over his shoulder.

"Lee. And if anyone asks, I'm a rebel from the Fire Nation. I'm not stopping your training just because we're stopping here."

In about a quarter hour, we were circling downward to land. The citizens of Kyoshi were all rushing outside to greet us. Aang's little fan club of girls gathered around, jumping and screaming. Coco was waving like mad, her cheeks flushed and eyes wide. There was one man that pushed to the front of the mob and pointed and jumped around. He started to foam at the mouth and finally fell over. _Didn't he do that last time? _I thought. And from a hill, I could see a line of teenage girls running towards us. They were all wearing the dress that goes under their warrior costumes, makeup long gone.

As Appa landed, we all climbed off, the citizens cheering. I saw a teenage girl push to the front of the crowd, short brown hair falling in her face. "Back for a visit?" she asked. She threw her arms around Aang and me before moving on to Sokka. She smiled and waved toward Zuko.

"Hi, Suki." Aang said, waving. "Yeah, we need a place to stay for a day or two."

"Not a problem. Come with me." We followed the lead warrior after grabbing what we'd need from Appa. A man led Appa to a stable, saying something about finding him something to eat. As we walked, the crowd scattered, not following but watching. Sokka pushed to the front to walk next to Suki.

"So what's new?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

"Nothing really. Since you guys left we haven't had any run-ins with the Fire Nation." I saw a guilty look cross Zuko's face.

"That's good."

"So who are you?" Suki asked, looking back to Zuko. Sokka glared daggers toward the firebender for stealing Suki's attention.

"Lee." Zuko said, looking at the ground.

"He's a rebel from the Fire Nation." Aang piped up. Suki nodded. "He's my firebending teacher."

"You mastered the other elements already?"

"No. Katara's still teaching me water since she mastered it and I still need to find and earthbending teacher." The young monk replied, waving to one of his exuberant fangirls. We went over the hill and toward a tall brown house.

"We only have two rooms left." Suki said. "I hope you don't mind." She led us inside and up a set of stairs. She pointed to two rooms right across the hall from each other. "You can make up your mind of who goes where. Make yourself at home. Dinner should be ready soon so I'll let you know." With a wave, the warrior retreated back down the steps.

"Okay." Sokka spoke up. "Katara and Aang, pick a room." Aang shrugged and pushed open the door on the right. I followed, rolling my eyes at my brother.

"What? Even if he is helping us, I don't want him in the same room with my sister or the world's last hope."

"So you'll get strangled in your sleep instead." I joked. Before Sokka could reply, I shut the door in his face. Aang laughed. I turned and smiled at the room I saw. The floors were smooth wood and there were two beds with green linen sheets. A table sat low to the floor in the center of the room, surrounded by cushions. There were shelves against the wall. Some had small knick knacks on them but most were bare.

Aang scuffled around the room as he looked around. I could tell he was excited to be here. I took to examining a small statue of Avatar Kyoshi on one of the night stands. I heard my new roommate flop on his bed and sigh. "The beds are soft." He continued his exploration as I admired another statue- this one of the Unagi. "Katara!" I turned to see what Aang was fussing about. He stood on the opposite side of the room near another door, knob still in his hand.

I beamed when I saw it. It was a private bathroom. There was a tub and mirror. Towels were stacked on a shelf along with bottles of soap and bath oils. My smile got wider. "I'll see you later, alright?" Aang said, heading for the door. "If I'm right, you want a bath and I don't want to be around when that happens." I water whipped the nape of his neck. "Hey!"

"Three for three." I bragged. He stuck out his tongue and shut the door behind him. Aang was right, though. I did want a bath. I took my spare clothes into the bathroom with me and filled the tub. Suki had said dinner would be ready soon, but I could manage. I climbed in and inhaled the sweet scents of lavender and vanilla. I have never been so glad to have soap at my disposal.

Just as I pulled my dress over my head, I heard a knock at the door. I hurried over and opened it to see Suki. She smiled when she saw my dripping hair. "Aang told me you wanted a bath." I returned the smile. "Anyway, dinner will be ready in a few minutes. It'll be right downstairs." I nodded and Suki left, shutting the door behind her. I bent the remaining water from my hair and braided it in record time.

When I got downstairs, I found everyone sitting around a long wooden table. A woman with bright brown eyes and a beaming smile was bringing out the food. She was laughing at something Aang had said. "Well that's sweet of you." she said. Aang smiled wider. I took the remaining seat between my brother and Zuko. The Avatar waved at me from across the table. The woman sat next to Suki and began passing food around.

"So I hear you are searching for an earthbending teacher, young Avatar?" I looked up to see that the person talking was an old man; the one I recognized as the leader of Kyoshi. I hadn't noticed him before. Suki caught my eye. She mouthed the words _"My dad." _I gave a slight nod.

"Yes sir." my friend replied. "Do you know if there are any masters around here?"

"Not on Kyoshi there aren't. There are masters on the mainland." Aang nodded as the man cast his gaze on Zuko. "What is your name, dear boy?"

"Lee, sir." The man nodded with a smile.

"Polite boy. How long did he take to whip into shape, Katara?" I let a smile spread across my face as I set down my glass.

"Figuratively or water whip?" Aang asked. Laughs echoed through the room.

"Do you want to train with us tomorrow, Sokka?" Suki asked. "The others kept asking me. You should here them. They're like Aang's fan club." Her eyes rolled heavenward.

"Sure." Sokka said. "Wait. I have a fan club?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"If we were back home, I would have thrown something at you by now." I said. More laughs. And a glare from Suki.

Dinner was delicious. I felt like I'd burst from all the dumplings I'd eaten. On the way back to our rooms, Sokka kept groaning about how he felt like he was going to throw up. I said I didn't care; I wasn't the poor soul sharing a room with him. Zuko glared at me. We talked for a while in our room before Zuko and Sokka left. As I climbed into bed, I could hear their faint voices arguing again. I rolled my eyes.

"Good night, Aang." I whispered.

"Good night, Katara."

- - - - - - - - - -

Azula rolled over in bed, trying to get back to sleep. It was a few hours before sunrise. Then she and the crew would have to get up and get back to work. The princess had already spent three hours that night attempting to figure out the Avatar's course to no avail. He could be anywhere by now considering the speed his stupid buffalo could fly. Wait. Was it a buffalo or a bison? But then again, what was the difference? Sighing, she rolled out of bed and slipped out of her room.

Her bare feet were silent on the cold floor. She weaved her way through the labyrinth of hallways, finally finding her destination: the training room. If she couldn't sleep, she might as well start the day. She froze when she pushed open the heavy metal doors. Inside was Akuzo. He was running through a difficult firebending routine. His movements were flawless and strong, flames brilliant and bright. He took no notice to the new visitor. Azula stood there for a moment, secretly admiring the captain's skills (A/N: skillz that killz! XD). In a few moments time, he turned in his routine and froze.

"What?" Azula asked. Akuzo shook his head.

"Nothing." He returned to his stance. "So are you always up this early?" The princess shook her head, standing beside him, mirroring his pose. They moved together, jump kicking forward.

"I couldn't sleep." They turned to the left and sent a streak of flame out with a chop.

"Me either." Akuzo confessed. Azula took two steps and punched the ground in a crouch position. Akuzo watched her instead of joining in. She leapt into the air, spinning and landing in an axe-kick and punch (A/N: like she does in the opening, you know?). She stood and looked at Akuzo who was still watching her. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"How long have you been bending?" Akuzo asked, amazed.

"Since I was five. Nine years." She resumed her position and continued this time along with the captain. Azula tried to concentrate on bending, but that was hard to do with a topless hunk beside her.

- - - - - - - - -

**A/N: One word: REVIEW! **


	14. Jealousy

**A/N: Gah! New chappie already!**

I woke up to the noises of Aang moving about the room. Just as I opened my eyes, he was pulling on his shirt. I sighed, sitting up. I'd slept extremely well, but not for long enough. Aang turned toward me, a cheerful grin plastered to his face. Gods, it was too early for that. "Morning Kat." I sniffed in response, blowing a strand of hair out of my face. He wrapped his arms around me as usual. "I'm going to go into town to see if I can find anyone to teach me earthbending basics. I'll see you later." The wooden door clicked shut behind him. Only then did I respond.

"Mmm-hmm." I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. Just as I was drifting off, a knock sounded at the door. Just my luck. I jumped up, startled. It was Zuko.

"Morning." he said. Did he always wake up this early?

"Morning." I rubbed sleep from my eyes, all traces of fatigue dwindling away.

"So your brother went to go train with the girls." I stepped aside to let him in. The unscarred firebender took a seat on a green cushion around the table. I sat next to him.

"Did you guys ever get to sleep last night?" I asked. "I could still hear you guys arguing when I was falling asleep." Zuko rolled his copper colored eyes.

"I think I dozed off in the middle of being insulted." I shook my head. "So where'd Aang go?" Zuko looked around the room, seeming to expect the Avatar to leap out of nowhere.

"Looking for an earthbender." My gaze was held on the wall. I suddenly felt warmth on my waist. Zuko smiled and pulled me closer, kissing the top of my head. I guess that's why he asked where Aang was. That would be an ugly scene if he walked in right then… But I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes anyway. I listened to the gentle sound of his heart beating and felt the warmth of his body. Part of me still wondered why I was doing this, but those feelings were suddenly pushed to the far corners of my mind.

His lips covered mine again. It was deep and passionate; better than the first. My arms instinctively snaked around his neck. His strong arms pulled me closer so that I was nearly in his lap. Somehow, he managed to deepen the kiss further. I felt his tongue on my bottom lip and let it in. Our tongues began their dance and I felt faint. How could Zuko make me feel this way? It felt like electricity was running through my veins. The heat of his hands moved lower on my waist and he pulled me into his lap. He moaned, kissing me harder. His grip loosened as he pulled away, laying kisses across my cheek and neck.

"I love you." Zuko whispered, his lips tickling my ear.

"I love you too." I whispered back. He pulled me into another amazing, electrifying kiss. His lips were hot against mine and the more I got of them, the more I wanted. I felt him tease my braid out and run his fingers through my hair. He moaned again and at that instant, the door opened.

"Gods!" Fear coursed through me. I parted from Zuko and whipped around with wide eyes. There, in warrior garb… (A/N: I could end this section here, but I'm nice. : 3)was Suki. I climbed off of a frozen Zuko and stood, taking her hand pleadingly.

"Suki, please don't tell anyone." I said softly.

"Why not? Don't Aang and Sokka--"

"No! They'd kill him if they knew!" Suki just stared at me. "They're overprotective! Aang actually cursed off the last guy that flirted with me!" The warrior continued to stare. "He nearly killed him!" Suki's fingertips massaged her temples as if she had a headache. "Please…" I begged.

Her eyes shut tight. "Listen," she said slowly, "I won't tell them unless they ask. I'm not going to lie to them." I let out a breath of relief. "But they'll find out sooner or later, so don't go sneaking around behind their backs." I gave a small nod though I couldn't imagine actually telling the others about my relationship with Zuko. "Gods, I'm going to knock from now on…"

"So what did you come for?" I asked quickly, changing the subject. My cheeks were burning.

"I was going to tell you that if you and Lee want to learn our fighting style too, we'll be there until two."

"Alright. Thanks." The head Kyoshi warrior turned and shut the door behind her, still muttering and holding her head.

"I don't think we should do that for a while." I whispered, turning around. Zuko was still frozen in place, eyes focused on the ground. He gave a slight nod.

- - - - - - - - - -

Suki came back to the training room to find Sokka and another warrior standing across from one another. Neither moved. At first it was more like a staring contest. At last, the girl stepped forward. In an instant, Sokka struck, sending her to the floor. She looked up, surprised. The water tribe warrior smiled. He held out a hand to help his fallen opponent up. "What did you expect of me, traveling around the world with the most wanted kid of the Fire Nation, Kiko?" The girl smiled, brushing back her long brown hair.

"I didn't know how much you'd learned. I did the same thing to you when you first came here." Kiko said with a shrug, walking back to her place against the wall. She watched Sokka over her shoulder. This simple action did not go unnoticed by Suki.

"Hey, Suki!" Sokka said, waving to the lead warrior.

"Hi." Suki stood across from Sokka. "Let's see how much better you've gotten."

- - - - - - - - - -

"So what was the palace like?" Akuzo questioned, taking a sip of his tea. He and Princess Azula sat in her room at a small table, eating breakfast together. Azula shrugged, setting down her chopsticks.

"A maze of hallways and courtyards. I was still getting lost sometimes before I came here." She paused to sip her cup of tea. "There were always paintings and statues of the past Fire Lords and royal families around. And there were lots of gardens…" Azula trailed off, casting her gaze downward. "My mother planted them every year."

"It sounds nice." Akuzo didn't get a response. "So what was your favorite flower in the gardens?" Azula looked up, gold eyes meeting brown ones. She thought for a moment.

"Probably Fire Lilies." The captain nodded. _Fire Lilies. I need to remember that… _He thought. "You asked me, but I never asked you: How long have you been bending?"

"I was seven when I found out I could bend but I didn't get lessons until I was ten. My family didn't have the money." Azula nodded and a silence ensued. The captain tried to remember the last time they'd shared a silence… He couldn't remember. He and the princess had always found means of conversation.

"Akuzo, I don't mean to be rude, but what did my uncle say to you that day in the prison hold?"

Akuzo froze. _"Captain Akuzo, what are your feelings about children?" _He wished he could disappear into the floor. "Oh…uh, nothing, Azula." A faint blush crept over his cheeks. He focused on eating for the time being. The princess only grew more suspicious.

"Did he say something…" she trailed off. "About us dancing on Music Night?" Akuzo looked up. "Because somehow it got back to him and he was bugging me about it…" A small blush stained her cheeks as well. "Forget it." They continued their meal in silence. Akuzo couldn't help but wonder why Azula was blushing. Did her uncle say the same thing to her? _In a rush, isn't he? _The captain thought.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Aangy, can you do the marble trick again?" Coco asked, pulling on the Avatar's sleeve. Aang beamed and did as she'd asked, surrounding the marble with water. The small crowd of girls around him squealed in delight. Coco took his hand and pulled him toward the ocean, the others trailing behind. "Come on Aangy, I want to show you something!" The monk was curious but kept walking while the other girls pushed him forward from behind.

"Coco, what is it?"

"You'll see!" the girl said brightly. They came up to the shoreline.

"What--"

"Look!" Coco squealed, pointing out to the water. A Giant Koi fish burst from the water, gold-orange scales shimmering in the sunlight. The rest of the girls jumped up and down, marveling the creature. Several more fish broke the surface of the water. "Aangy, are you going to ride one?" The Avatar beamed.

"You bet!"

By the time Aang had had his fill of Koi riding, it was nearly noon. The girls welcomed him back to land with cheers and a suffocating hug from Coco. He dried himself with airbending and the group made their way into the town. Coco clung to Aang's arm like a duckling to its mother. She sent the other girls death glares every time they tried to get closer.

The town was bustling with shoppers, all smiling and happy. The airbender caught his eye on a blue skirt. _Katara!_ He managed to pry himself away from the girl on his arm. "Hey, Kat!" Aang said, hugging her from behind.

"Hi, Aang." Katara continued to look at merchandise, Aang chattering on about how he'd rode a Giant Koi in the bay. Katara nodded, barely paying attention. Needless to say, neither of them saw a steaming Coco standing off in the distance, other girls edging away from her. _Floozy! _She thought.

- - - - - - - - - -

At two, the warriors were dismissed from their training. Several girls smiled and said good bye to Sokka, who was enjoying the attention greatly. He got several thumps on the back and quite a few compliments on a job well done. Kiko was the last to leave, wiggling her fingers in a wave on her way out. Sokka smiled and waved back. The only two left were he and Suki. "You seem popular." the lead warrior said, a hint of jealousy in her voice. Sokka shrugged.

"I guess."

"So do you want to go back to the house for a late lunch?"

"Yeah!" Sokka smiled ear to ear.

"Come on." Suki took his hand and led the way back to the house. Sokka blushed at first. Then he remembered what had happened with Suki before. The way she'd kissed him… He just smiled and kept walking, gripping Suki's hand a tad tighter. The lead warrior was the only one of them that noticed the looks she got from the other girls- especially Kiko.

- - - - - - - - - -

Aang and Zuko sat in the living room at Suki's house. Aang sat on the floor while the refugee sat on a bench near the window. The young Avatar was digging through his bag, looking for something. He pulled out a piece of wood and began whittling, cutting the wood with airbending. Zuko arched an eyebrow at the boy, but he didn't see. "So did you find an earthbender?" the exiled prince asked suddenly.

"No." Aang replied, not looking up. "I went to Suki's dad this morning to ask him if he knew any earthbenders on the island. He said there weren't any." Zuko's eye twitched as Momo leaped onto his shoulder.

"Then what were you doing all day?"

"Oh, I hung out with this group of girls and rode a Giant Koi in the bay." Zuko stared at the young boy. So he'd wasted his whole day? "What?" Aang failed to notice what he'd done.

"You played with your fan club instead of training? We could have started firebending!"

"But the Avatars have to master the elements in a cycle: water, earth, fire, and air. In my case it's air, water, earth, and fire." Zuko shook his head.

"Then why are we wasting our time here?"

Aang shrugged. "Appa needs rest. We can leave the day after tomorrow." He went back to his whittling without another word. Shaking his head, Zuko stood and left the room. There was no point in arguing over it. What was done was done. He couldn't help it if the kid was wasting time.

- - - - - - - - - -

Akuzo woke to a pecking noise on his window. His brown eyes shot open and he ran to the window to see a messenger hawk sitting outside. He opened the window and took the note, reading it quickly.

_Dear Akuzo,_

_I received your letter and I am very happy to hear you have made friends with Princess Azula! I will make a book for her with the finest cover and pages I can afford. I'd be happy to do it for the princess. I'll have it to you in time for her birthday. Sending my wishes and regards to you both. _

_Love,_

_Your Baby Sister_

Akuzo smiled broadly and fell back into his bed, clutching the note.

- - - - - - - - -

**A/N: That's what Akuzo was running to his room for the day Iroh talked to him: to write a letter to his sister to ask for a book for Azula. Yeah. I hope you liked it!**


	15. More Jealousy and a Letter

**A/N: Sorry for the late update. The end of school really has me busy. Wow, irony. But I have good news for all of you Akuzo/Azula freaks: they're in most of the frickin' chapter! (Those who don't… skip that part. Yeah. Go with that.)**

**- - - - - - - -**

"Aangy!" Coco cried, mobbing the Avatar the second he stepped out of the door. She hugged his waist and stared up at him with a huge grin. It was barely after sunrise, but she was awake and waiting for the famous boy.

"Hi, Coco." the airbender said, half paying attention. Once he was released, he made his way toward the beach, fangirl trailing behind. Several other girls in the "fan club" tried to come along, but a vicious glare from Coco sent them all running. Aang didn't notice. He only kept walking.

"Aangy, where are you going?"

"I need to practice waterbending with my friend."

"Who's your friend?" Coco asked, praying it wasn't who she thought it was. She fell into step with her idol and took his hand.

"Oh. It's Katara, the girl that's traveling with me." Aang's eye twitched in noticing the eight year old (A/N: I made up her age) was holding his hand. He pulled it away to scratch the top of his head. He only thought of Coco and the other girls as friends. And he had a thing for Katara… Besides, Coco was too young for him in his opinion. And bossy.

"Can I watch?"

"I guess so…" The Avatar quickened his pace as he stepped onto the sandy beach. Katara already stood at the water's edge, back to them, bending. "Katara!" Aang called. The waterbender turned to see her friend waving excitedly. She waved back. How could he be so excited about seeing her if they'd just spoken last night? The airbender hurried into place across from his mentor. "So what are we working on?"

"I figured we could just spar since I've taught you basically everything I know." Katara replied, sinking into her stance. Her smile was wide. Aang smirked. Coco plopped down in the sand to watch, eyes narrowing at what she saw. _Why are they looking at each other like that? _She wondered. The Kyoshi girl barely registered the fast and skilled movements in front of her. Her eyes glazed over as she stared into space. _Do they like each other? _

- - - - - - - - - -

"And then take the step." Suki finished directing Sokka, falling into place with her trusted fans at the ready. The water tribe boy stood behind her, matching her movements. "Good." Suki stood up, smiling. "You're really getting the hang of it." Sokka beamed proudly. The two were training together, despite the fact that the dojo was normally closed today. Sokka claimed he needed a few pointers. So they were training in normal clothes, accompanied by their fans.

"Well, you know…" Sokka shrugged, a flirtatious smirk playing on his lips. The door opened to the dojo, the sunlight soaking the floor. The pair turned to see Kiko out of warrior uniform. Her dress was hunter green, showing off her curves and it had long bell sleeves.

"I don't mean to interrupt you two," she said, leaning on the doorframe, "but all of the warriors are having a picnic at the beach today, if you want to come along." Kiko's lightly painted lips curved into a delicate smile. Sokka smiled back, making Suki want to wring Kiko's pretty little neck. The lead warrior resisted the urge to do so and smiled back as well.

"Thanks, Kiko." Suki said. "We'll head over there soon."

"Great. Bye, Sokka." Kiko waved, wiggling her fingers. The door shut with a thump behind her. _Floozy. She thinks I'm blind. Who does she think she is, flirting with Sokka? _Suki fumed.

Meanwhile, outside, Kiko was smirking. She was even giving Princess Azula a run for her money with that look. _She likes him. I know it. _She said to herself. She walked down the dirt street, meeting up with two of the other girls. They looked at her expectantly, fingers laced. "Is he coming?" they said in unison. Kiko only gave a small nod, causing her friends to launch into a hugging fest (A/N: and cue the sweatdrop). _Why do I hang out with these losers? _(A/N: I just noticed how I made like all of the girls on Kyoshi fangirls. Weird.)

- - - - - - - - - -

Princess Azula sat in her room, once again pouring over her map. She had to find the Avatar. The map was covered in red dots of ink, indicating a possibility. Blue ones noted where he had been spotted. Sighing, she stood, tacking the map to the wall. Her copper eyes flicked over it for a moment before she turned her gaze to the rest of her room.

Sometimes, she found it strange to be there. The ship was a far cry from the palace. On the other hand, the ship was much easier to get around in. But she missed her room. Back at home, her bed was twice as soft and had a canopy. Her furniture was much grander and more decorations hung on the walls. And the size difference… That was unbelievable. Though her quarters on the ship were quite roomy, the other one had been five times as large, easily. Azula fell face first in her bed, stretching out. _But while I'm at sea I don't have to wear dresses. _She said to herself. A smile danced across her face.

She jumped when she heard a knock at her door. "Azula?" It was Akuzo. She hurried to open the door.

"Hi, Akuzo." The princess pushed a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Hi." The captain suddenly thought of the incident at breakfast the day before. It had been strange to see the almighty Fire Nation princess blush… He pulled himself from his thoughts to keep from embarrassing himself again. "This just came from a messenger hawk for you." Akuzo held up a rolled piece of parchment. The princess took it and stared at it, puzzled. She looked up and thanked the firebender before her. Just as he was about to turn, she spoke again.

"Akuzo, do you want to train together in the morning?" Where on earth that had come from, the princess hadn't a clue. The captain smiled.

"Sure, Azula. How's sunrise?" The girl nodded, heart racing. If they could read minds, the pair would have heard two simultaneous _Yes!_(s). With a wave, the captain turned and walked down the hall. His footsteps echoed. Azula didn't go back into her room until she saw him turn the corner. The metal door closed with a thud and she slid down it, hand over her heart. Why had she done that so suddenly? She smiled, a faint blush covering her cheeks. She'd get to see Akuzo topless again…

The princess suddenly realized she had a message to open. She turned the scroll so that the red Fire Nation emblem seal was facing her. She broke it with trembling fingers. Who could it be from? More importantly, why was she nervous. Azula unrolled the paper. She recognized the writing right away. It was her father's. Her heart quickened its pace.

_Azula,_

_I have found several men you may be interested in marrying. _

The firebender's stomach dropped as she thought of Akuzo. Still, she read on, following a list of names and what the person had done for the nation (A/N: I'm too lazy to write the list.). She noticed they were all noblemen. She swallowed hard; her mouth was unbelievably dry.

_I really do hope you make your decision soon; you're fifteenth birthday is fast approaching. We need to plan for the wedding. It's time to grow up, Azula. You cannot run away from this forever. You are to be ruler of the Fire Nation._

Hot tears welled in her golden eyes, but she didn't know why. This had never bothered her so much before. Sure, she knew she had to get married and (without Zuko in the picture) rule the Fire Nation, but now it seemed like a huge challenge. Her father was telling _her _to grow up. It was always her brother that received that remark.

_I also wish to hear how your mission is going. It should not take you so long to retrieve your brother and uncle. Write me back with a full report._

_Fire Lord Ozai_

Azula stared at the letter. She swallowed again and blinked twice. Her eyes watered. Her father was scolding her. Her father had never scolded her! With a growl, she stood and fired a bolt of lightning at the map on the wall. The attack left a small smoking hole. The princess sat at her desk, pulling out her pen, ink, and paper.

Once she was done, the firebender sat back and read her work. _He better notice it's not a tea party out here. _She thought, eyes burning again. How could he be disappointed in her? Sealing the note with wax, she set it aside to send in the morning.

It was past sundown. With a heavy sigh, Azula decided she should get ready for bed.

After a long bath to calm her nerves (that didn't work very well), Azula changed into her pajamas. She scowled, noting all of her pants were dirty. Instead, she slipped a simple red nightdress over her head. It only went to her mid-thigh, but she figured no one would see her in it. So much for not wearing dresses. The firebender flopped into her bed. And then the same thoughts came back. _He's disappointed in me. And he told me to grow up. _A lone tear finally fell onto her cheek.

Another knock sounded at the door. Brushing the tear away, she got up to answer it. There stood a smiling Akuzo in baggy black pants and a tight black shirt. His face fell as soon as he looked at her. "What's wrong?"

"What?" She tried to play dumb. How could he tell?

"Your eyes are watering." The princess opened her mouth, but no sound came out. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right?" he asked, eyes soft.

"I don't want to talk about it." she replied, crossing her arms. Her friend nodded.

"So I came to ask you if you wanted to come up on deck. The sky is really clear so you can see all of the stars." The captain said. _Please say yes. Please say yes. _He thought. Azula looked toward him and gave a slight nod.

"Alright. I just need my robe…" she answered, blushing. _Stupid nightdress… _

After slipping on her silk robe, the pair headed toward deck. The hallways were deserted and loud snores could be heard behind closed doors. _It must be later than I thought. _The princess said to herself. Once they stepped on deck, she noted by means of the moon that it was around eleven o'clock. The midnight blue sky didn't have a cloud in sight. The stars twinkled down on them, bright and… romantic?

The firebenders stood by the rail, heads tilted to look at the stars. The anchored boat gently bobbed in the waves, water quietly lapping the side of the vessel. They were silent. Akuzo couldn't help but spare a look at Azula, wondering why she seemed prettier now. Her hair was held in a low bun. Her bell sleeves billowed, red robe blowing back in the breeze. It revealed her nightdress, cutting off mid-thigh. He'd never seen her in anything other than her armor or training clothes. He had to admit it was a nice change.

Suddenly she cast her gaze toward him. Their eyes met. They could both see swirling torrents of emotions, shining in the moonlight. The princess smiled slightly, but it seemed sad. The captain tried his luck again. "What's wrong?" The spark in Azula's eyes faded and she looked out over the water. And even though she willed herself not to, she cried. Akuzo stepped forward, but she stepped back, shaking her head.

"I need to go." She made it two steps before her friend gripped her shoulders and turned her to face him.

"Azula, you can tell me."

"I can't! Okay?" Princess Azula didn't know why she was getting so upset. _It was just a damn letter. _She said to herself. But somehow it seemed worse.

"Why not?"

"It's about the letter." she replied.

"What about it?"

"It's from…my father." Silence fell over them. The pair stood frozen in place. Akuzo was still looking the princess in the eyes, hands on her shoulders. Azula tried not to cry. _Only wimps cry. _

"I'm not following." Akuzo said.

"It's just… ugh!" Azula pushed away from him. "He's disappointed in me. He expects me to be able to catch my brother and uncle in no time at all when I'm really chasing after the Avatar!" With a sigh, she settled herself at the railing. The captain stood behind her. "All my life, I've been training in firebending." Her voice was soft.

"And it's all routines. There are certain moves to perform, one after the other and if you can do that, you've mastered it. But this isn't bending. This is the real world and it's hard to figure out what to do next." The words had poured from nowhere and Azula didn't quite know what she thought until she'd spoken them. But it was the truth. "And he's the only one that's ever loved me…" She looked at the metal floor, swallowing. She was embarrassing herself in front of Akuzo again.

And before she knew it, Akuzo's strong arms turned her and pulled her into a hug. She stood frozen for a moment, arms folded against his chest. Tears spilled from her eyes as she hugged him back, head in his warm chest. "I love you, Azula." His words were soft and comforting. Who knew five simple words could have such an impact? But Azula froze. What had he said? She pulled away.

"What?"

"I said I love you." he said with a small chuckle. He smiled and moved to pull her into another hug. She backed away.

"No. You can't." she replied. The captain's face fell. She didn't… _No! _she shouted to herself. _Don't say it! _"I'm getting married when I turn sixteen. To a nobleman. I don't want my heart ripped out if it doesn't have to be." And on that sour note, the Fire Nation princess turned on her head and left. The captain stared after her, pain evident in his eyes, heartbroken.

- - - - - - - - - -

**A/N: (tear) I hope you Akuza (I suck at shipping names) fans are happy. Well, you wouldn't be with that stunt, but trust me, this is NOT the end of Akuzo/Azula. Mark. My. Words. **

**Anyway, I hope you liked it. I'm really starting to like writing the whole Azula side of the story. In the show she's a bitch but in my fic she's a total pushover. Sort of. But it's hilarious to write… (good times, goooooood times.)**

**HOLY SHIT, THIS IS A LONG CHAPTER! (cough, sorry, cough)**

**REVIEW!**


	16. Too Much Going On

**A/N: Hi, everyone! Once again, sorry for the slow update. I've been busy lately. I need to study for finals and I've been taking care of my grandmother and blah blah blah. But you don't care, do you? You just want the story. So I'm going to shut up and give it to you.**

o0oOo0o

After the bending practice between Katara and Aang, the Avatar left to go find Zuko. He said something about "might as well start firebending". So the master waterbending girl picked up her water pouch from the sand, preparing to say goodbye to Coco and leave. When she stood, the eight-year-old's finger was pointing square between her eyes. Coco's death glare was menacing and her eyes were narrowed to slits.

"You better not like Aangy." she said. In her head, her voice sounded strong and intimidating. To Katara, it sounded like an innocent little girl's crush. Katara struggled not to laugh or even smile. Her face was straight and unfaltering. She decided to play dumb.

"I don't know what you mean, Coco." Katara said, arching a brow. The younger girl glared some more.

"Don't play dumb! I know you like him!"

"I do?"

"Yeah! But he's mine, so don't try anything!" Coco exclaimed, stomping her foot.

"Alright. I won't." the waterbender assured her. With a childish flip of her short brown hair, Coco stalked off of the beach. As soon as her form vanished over the towering dunes of sand, Katara burst into laughter. _Aang's just my friend. What would have given her that idea? _She shook her head. Sometimes people did the stupidest things when they were younger. Katara remembered punching another girl in the tribe for calling her brother a jelly-boned wimp. Yes, younger people tend to overreact.

o0oOo0o

Every single one of the warriors was at the picnic on the beach. Sokka and Suki showed up just as lunch was beginning. There was a large spread of dishes made by several mothers and blankets were set up along the sand. Sokka, being the pig that he is, went for the food first. Suki sat with one of her friends, talking. Kiko smirked. She came up behind Sokka, who was eating a pastry but (thank goodness) not inhaling it. She tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, Sokka." she said.

"Hi, Kiko."

"So, I was thinking," the girl went on, sparing a short glance toward Suki. The lead warrior had her back to them and the other girls weren't paying attention. Perfect. "Could you show me that move you used on me on your first day back?" She could have pointed at Suki and laughed when he agreed. Kiko led Sokka over a bunch of rocks to a patch of smooth sand, lower than the rest. The picnic was far off and they couldn't see it.

"So just stand in a horse stance," Sokka instructed. The girl did as told. "And as soon as I move, there'll be an open spot, but only for a second. You need to be quick." The water tribe warrior sank into his position. He took a step forward and Kiko struck, too slow. "Good try." he commented. Kiko was going easy, not that he knew that. If she wanted to, she could knock him over in an instant, faster than he could blink. The Kyoshi warrior continued her act for another five minutes before speaking.

"This is hopeless." she sighed, plopping down in the sand with a sad expression on her face. Sokka sat beside her. Just what she was waiting for.

"You're doing fine. I've been fighting firebenders all around the world. It'll take some practice to take me down." he boasted. Kiko smiled slightly, turning toward him.

"Thanks, Sokka." Kiko leaned forward, startling the boy before her. Their lips met as Kiko pulled him closer, closing her brown eyes. Sokka tried to pull away. He didn't succeed. Both of them jumped when they heard the slightest _thump _behind them. Sokka's eyes were wide and Kiko whipped around to see Suki standing at the top of the rocks, hand at her face, with her fan on the ground. Tears were welling in her eyes. She turned and ran.

o0oOo0o

On the other side of the island, Katara and Zuko were in a small lake surrounded by trees. Their clothes lay on the bank so they were only in their underclothes. Katara was waterbending a small stream. Zuko was sitting on the bank, head on his hand. They had already been sparring for an hour and the firebender got bored. They were too evenly matched anymore. Nobody won and he had the sinking feeling in his stomach it would be that way forever.

His golden gaze followed his sweetheart's movements. Her hands swept in a circular motion and her hips swayed with every movement. His gaze trailed down her body to her flat stomach. It was tan and glistening with water. Her waist was submerged in the water. Noticing what he was doing (again) he looked away. With a sigh, Katara ceased her practice. She turned to the exiled prince and smiled warmly before joining him at his spot on the bank. Her braided chocolate hair dripped. Small drops of water trailed down her back. Zuko's eyes followed her as she mirrored his position.

"What's so fascinating about sitting like this?" Katara joked. Zuko rolled his eyes, sitting up. The waterbender did the same but abandoned her imitation game. A silence fell over them as they watched the small waves.

"I think I should go teach Aang a little bit of firebending later today." the firebender commented. The waterbender leaned on his shoulder.

"Yeah." Zuko's arm snaked around her waist. She shivered. He was so warm… She leaned closer, her hand resting on his shoulder. She was so small… Zuko loved that about the waterbender. Whenever he held her, she felt like he was protecting someone. He loved that feeling... Without warning, Katara let go of him and pushed him as hard as she could. The firebender fell into the lake with a splash and came up sputtering.

"What the hell was that for?"

Katara smiled and dove in with him. She started treading water. Zuko swam closer to her and she backed away. He kept coming. "Hey!" the water tribe girl cried. The ex-prince pulled her close, kissing her forehead. She blinked. Two times. He laughed as she smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. He held the waterbender by the waist, treading in circles. They stared at each other, smiling. Katara nuzzled in the crook of Zuko's neck, closing her eyes. "I can't wait until the war's over." came her muffled statement.

"Me either."

o0oOo0o

Princess Azula's eyes opened. The ship was quiet, save the lurch it gave in the waves. She didn't move but listened. There was no movement outside her door; no footsteps, voices, or creaking doors. Her head turned to see her bedside table. She swallowed hard when she saw the letter from her father, so big and important lying there innocently. Azula's head turned back so she was looking up at the ceiling. It was cold metal with several rounded bolts sticking out slightly where two sheets of metal came together. So dark… Like her mood.

And it was all because of that damned letter. The princess wished it had never come. She wished her father could just leave her the hell alone until she got home. This was her ship and she controlled everything about it. Yet she couldn't control this.

An image of a smiling Akuzo found its way into her thoughts. Her copper eyes slammed shut as if to block it out. She wished last night was only a dream. But she was still in her nightgown and robe. It wasn't a dream. Azula had hurt him and she knew it. She had ripped his heart out and tore it to shreds. But hers felt the pain. She wished she could be with him, but she knew she couldn't. Akuzo wasn't a nobleman. He was from a poor family, struggling to survive. Why it mattered who she married, the princess didn't know. As long as the man was from the Fire Nation, what did it matter?

But as long as her father was on the throne, it did matter.

o0oOo0o

Akuzo sat at his desk, staring down at another letter from his sister. Along with it came a book. It was his gift to Azula with a red leather cover and the black Fire Nation emblem on the front. The pages were edged with shining silver and were smooth-grained. The author's calligraphy was as neat as it had ever been with the whole shebang- a dedication page, an author's note and a label that read _To: Princess Azula _and _From: Akuzo._ The author's note was amazingly lengthy. The captain hadn't even bothered to read it. The dedication page was something about _for the great and noble princess of the Fire Nation._

The captain sighed before reading the letter from his sister. _You're not going to be happy with me, Xi. _He thought.

_Akuzo, _

_It was a lot of work, but I got it done. My hand is swollen worse than the time I got stung by all of those cicada-wasps, my leg was asleep for an hour, and I'm exhausted, but it's done. And it was definitely worth it. At first, I didn't know what to put in it, but I ended up putting in mom's favorites along with a few of yours. I really do hope the princess enjoys it. I hope to hear about it along with how you're doing. Mom is getting hysterical because you haven't written all this week. She said something about you getting thrown overboard and getting eaten by a giant Koi. Good old mom. I hope you're well. _

_Love your baby sister,_

_Xi_

The firebender stared down at the letter. His sister sounded so enthusiastic about writing the book. A sinking feeling of guilt filled his stomach. It would be so awkward to give Azula the gift now. With a sigh, he re-wrapped the package in the brown paper.

o0oOo0o

Aang stood in a wide horse stance with his gray eyes focused right ahead of him. He breathed deeply. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Again. He had been standing there in the same position for almost half an hour. Zuko sat in the sand, watching his young pupil with a piercing gaze. "That's enough." the mentor said, finally. The Avatar gave him a curious look. Zuko pulled a leaf out of a small bag he'd been carrying. He stood, burning a small hole in the center before handing it to the Avatar. "Don't let the flames reach the edges." the older bender said, sitting down. Aang resumed his position.

This was going to take a long time. But they didn't have time. Aang needed to complete his earthbending training as well. At least he already knew some earthbending… Zuko snapped to attention when he heard his pupil.

"Zuko," he said, pointing to a burning leaf on the ground, "I need a new leaf."

o0oOo0o

Sokka paced his room angrily. He had tried to talk to Suki, but she wouldn't answer her door. He had heard her crying, but she never answered him. The warrior had told her that it wasn't what it had looked like; Kiko had kissed _him _and he hadn't wanted her to do it. He said he didn't like her that way and that he only had feelings for Suki. _And Yue. _He said to himself. But not to Suki. That would have made things worse. Sokka threw himself on his bed with a huff. Why had Kiko done that? Hadn't she seen Sokka and Suki hold hands on the first day he was back at Kyoshi? But then a thought crossed his mind. Maybe Kiko knew that. She just wanted to split them up so she could have the boy.

_Great. _The water tribe warrior thought to himself. _I've waited for girls to be crawling all over me and now I've lost Suki. _

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Hi everyone! How was it? I know I've got a lot of parts of the story happening at once and it's really confusing, but it'll clear up soon. It's really hard to write… I was going to put Iroh in this chappie, but there was already a lot going on. He'll show up next time. Good old Iroh. Literally. **

**HOPING FOR REVIEWS!**

_**Puh-leeeeeeeease?**_


	17. Found Out

**A/N: Sorry for the slow update; my mom was all like 'GAH!' and took my computer away for two days. I could have died. How could anyone survive without a computer? I'd go totally and completely insane. And then there was an error and I couldn't figure out how to fix it and I was like 'GAH!' Anyway, enough with my rambling of my update and my mom and my computer and my conniptions.**

**Ha. Free pie and chips.**

o0oOo0o

Sokka was face down in his bed when his roommate came in. It was dark out; about nine o'clock. Zuko merely shook his head as if he knew what was going on. He didn't. After he had trained the leaf-burning Avatar for an hour and had no success, he dismissed the boy. They'd try again in the morning when he was rested. Zuko and Katara had decided to go for another swim after that. They realized, of course, that no one ever came into that part of the woods so they were free to be romantic. The firebender hadn't realized how long they'd been kissing until the sun went down. A tingle shot up his spine. He was going with his roommate's sister… That was a strange thought.

The water tribe warrior looked up; face red from lying on it for so long. "Where have you been?"

"Swimming." Zuko stated simply, drying his hair in a green towel. It wasn't a complete lie. He had been in the water… Sokka nodded and got up on shaky legs.

"Have you seen Katara?" The younger boy inquired as he started toward the door. Zuko panicked.

"Actually…" he began. Too late. Sokka opened the door to see his younger sister standing in the hall, hand on the brass knob of her wooden door. She held a towel around her with her clothes tucked under her arm. Her long chocolate hair was still dripping.

"Hi, Sokka." she said, trying to keep her cool. She shifted on her bare feet a bit and her heart was racing a thousand miles an hour. The little nagging voice in the back of her head told her she should have listened to Suki. She pushed it away and focused on her brother. Said boy arched a curious eyebrow.

"Did you two get in another fight?" he asked, smirking. He leaned against the wooden doorframe coolly.

"No." Katara said smugly, leaning against her own doorframe. Brothers could be so irritating. "Unlike you, I get along with him just fine. Isn't that right, Lee?" Zuko held up his hands in mercy and backed into the bathroom to change. Sokka rolled his cerulean eyes at his roommate. "What? He's only trying to avoid another argument." Katara's blood ran cold when her brother leaned in to whisper to her. He held her small shoulder firmly.

"I don't want you alone with him. I still don't trust him. Especially when you're only in underclothes." Sokka pulled back, giving Katara a stern look that would have given their father's a run for his money. Katara gave the smallest of nods, mouth so dry she didn't trust her voice. She waited until his door quietly clicked shut before she entered her own.

Aang was pulling off his usual shirt when she walked in. "Oh. Hey, Kat." the young monk beamed. "How was your day?"

Katara merely shrugged, laying her clothes out on the chest at the end of her bed. "Just come back from practicing?" He received a nod. "Me too. I'm going to bed. I'm really tired." And the ceremonial hug took place despite the both benders' indecent state of dress. Aang crawled into his bed, curling up to sleep, leaving the blankets lying useless at the foot of the bed. Katara watched him for a minute before dressing and crawling into her own bed, pulling the covers up to her chin.

The next morning, Katara woke early to finish sewing a hole at the bottom of her shirt. She hated to sew; it made her feel like an old woman. All she needed now were wrinkles and children to tell stories to. Then she could say things like "When I was your age…" and fall asleep sitting up. But nevertheless, she was getting quite good at it. Sewing. And that made her feel like she had accomplished something. She sat quietly on her bed, humming a light tune. Her legs were crossed Indian style. Katara loved being able to do that. She never could when she wore that long skirt all the time.

Before she knew it, her quiet time had passed as the young Avatar awakened. He yawned wide and stretched. He scratched his stomach and rubbed his nose. He turned, smiling when he saw his roommate was also up. "Hey, Kat." Aang said, slipping on his usual orange shirt. "I'll see you later. I'm going to go get Zuko for training." He hugged her and she hugged him back, dropping the thread from her needle. The boy pulled back, standing in front of her for a moment. He leaned forward grinning as he kissed the tip of Katara's nose.

Unfortunately for him, Zuko opened the door and saw. Aang looked up, hand flying behind his head (it was a nervous habit). Katara blushed but the airbender was redder than an apple. Zuko just stared. "Uh, hi, Zuko. I'm just going to go, you know, get a head start on training." Aang ducked out of the room, but hung in the door as he added an afterthought. "You know, deep breathing." And then he was gone with lightning fast footsteps.

The exiled prince turned his unnerving copper gaze back to his sweetheart. "What the hell was he thinking?" he asked. Katara was silent. Zuko closed the door and sat at the edge of the waterbender's bed, smiling. He picked up her needle and treaded it. Now it was Katara's turn to stare.

"What?" he asked, setting the needle back in her lap with care.

"I thought you were going to roast him alive!"

"And then your brother would spear me alive once he found out about us." Zuko said, rolling his eyes. "Aang's a kid. It's not like he can hold up against me."

The waterbender bit back a laugh. "Are you so sure about that?"

"Positive. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a twelve year old romance expert to teach. Have fun with your sewing." Katara tried to trip him, but he didn't fall for it. Literally. He laughed as he exited the room, closing the door behind him with a _click._

o0oOo0o

Sokka hadn't moved from his position. Sometimes he had trouble breathing with his face down in the mattress like that, but that wasn't anything a lift of the head couldn't fix. He was wallowing in his own pathetic sorrow (if only ice cream and romance movies were invented yet…sigh…). _That Kiko and her plans and her fighting and her acting and her fans. _The young man thought. _Hey, I made a rhyme. _

He tried to be cheerful, but it wasn't working so well anymore. Maybe he could try talking to Suki again today… (or get Fu-fu Cuddly Poops the Saber-toothed Moose-Lion cub to talk to).

o0oOo0o

Katara had a long day ahead of her. She had to sew patches in almost everyone's clothes and wash them. This would be challenging since Aang only _had _one pair of clothes. She had to hunt him down and interrupt the firebending lesson so that Aang could come back to the house. After all, the boy couldn't parade around in his underwear all day. He wasn't a three year old. The waterbender decided to wait on that. They were supposed to be leaving tomorrow and she wanted all of their garments to be as clean as possible.

Katara also had a ten ton bison to groom and pack, too. She didn't want Appa and his big fluffy self to leave a big fluffy trail behind. She had food and supplies to buy in the market, bending to practice, and people to thank. Maybe she'd be able to squeeze in the bending part before they left in the morning. Either way, she knew she'd sleep well that night.

o0oOo0o

After a long day of firebending, Zuko was beginning to see lots of improvement. Aang had succeeded with the leaf exercise all but once and that 'once' was on the first try of the morning. During the last hour of the lesson, though, the ex-prince showed his student how to bend an actual ball of fire. Aang had succeeded. His mission was to change the size of the flame using his breathing. It began no larger than the flame of a candle and grew to the size of a fist. The flame's size toggled back and forth.

Perhaps success could be annoying too. Aang wouldn't shut up about how great it was to learn firebending. He just kept going and blabbering and grinning. Zuko was rubbing his temples until the Avatar's little girly fan club came and rescued him. They dragged Aang off squealing about something called a 'Unagi' and its 'new baby'. The firebender shrugged and continued his walk alone. He couldn't help but imagine the Unagi being some cut little furry animal.

As he entered the house, he realized he might have been better off going with his pupil and a bunch of shrieking girls. The house was a battlefield. Sokka and Suki were arguing over something but the argument had escaladed. At first they were screaming and shouting at each other. Then the Kyoshi warrior was in tears, trying to push Sokka away. He was trying to hug her and comfort her about something. Katara was sitting on the couch with new fabric like nothing abnormal was going on. All of a sudden, a crash cut through the room. If it was loud before, this broke the sound barrier. Zuko whipped around to see Suki grabbing a china plate off the wall, throwing it toward the water tribe boy. He ducked and a second plate crashed to the floor.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT WAS HER FAULT!" the girl shrieked. "I SAW YOU KISS HER!" Oh Agni. Zuko had walked right into a lover's fight. Sokka hid behind him, but this didn't stop Suki from throwing china. Zuko ducked and the water tribe boy dove to the side, narrowly missing the plate. The firebender jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned. It was only Katara. She made a motion toward the sanctuary of the bedrooms. He nodded, quickly and gladly following the waterbender, dodging another plate on the way. "YOU WERE TEACHING HER A MOVE! YEAH RIGHT!"

The noises from the family room—battle zone—were drowned out when Katara closed the door to her room. She sat on her bed, Indian style. A basket was in her lap, holding her new fabric. It was orange and ivory. She looked up and met the firebender's gaze in one of their cerulean-copper clashes. "Aang can't walk around in the same clothes forever you know. The other ones are getting tight." Zuko nodded. She held the cloth in her hands, rubbing it with her thumbs. She dropped it back into the basket in a huff. "Now he only needs to get his butt back here. Zuko couldn't help but notice how cute Katara was when she was angry. He smiled, leaning forward to plant a kiss on the tip of her nose.

Not that they knew anyone was looking.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Of course they didn't. It's another unwritten rule of fan fiction. Don't you people read the manual? It's blank. Ya know? Cause it's unwritten. Okay, dumb joke. You know what, that wasn't even a joke. Sorry for the second case of rambling. I'm really tired. Anyhow, let me know how it was!**

**REVIEW!**

**Free pie and chips. **


	18. Feel With Your Heart

**A/N: Ha! I told you it would be a quick update! I'm not so busy anymore and my computer is done being a pain. So what do you say I cut the crap and give you what you came here for? What? I CAN'T HEAR YOU! Okay! Stop throwing stuff, sheesh! **

**Now that'll be $19.99. (Thankies, _Avatard05_)**

**Ha. Kidding. I said I'm KIDDING! (Runs off screaming and crying like a wee little baby)**

o0oOo0o

Azula sat in her meditation room, calm and quiet. It seemed she needed to meditate a lot lately. She needed the peace of mind if she ever wished to get better at firebending. She was so close to being a master she could taste it: the sweet taste of victory and honor. Her golden eyes snapped open with a sound knock on her door. Gold eyes became angry slits. Who dared to interrupt her meditation? Opening the door, she prepared to throw an angry insult toward the poor soul. It never came. The princess only stood, awestruck.

It was Akuzo.

"I know you probably never want to see me again," he began, holding up a hand to stop Azula from interrupting, "but it's your birthday and I wanted you to celebrate it no matter how small the celebration." He held out a package wrapped neatly in plain brown paper. A black Fire Lily was tied to the front with a single red ribbon. A gift? For her?

Azula took the package slowly, looking up at the captain. "Happy birthday." he said, ghost of a sad smile crossing his face. He turned to go.

"How…" the girl began. The young man stopped. He listened intently. "How did you know my birthday was today?" It was quiet for a moment. Eerily quiet. Akuzo shifted his weight ever so slightly before swallowing. His mouth was dry.

"Your uncle told me." His voice was soft. And with that, he was gone, disappearing behind a metal corner, footsteps fading. The firebending princess stared after him, eyes wide and door open.

She finally slipped back inside, sliding down her closed door. The metal was cold against her bare back. It made her quake with a shiver. With a shaking finger, she pulled on the ribbon. The bow fell. So did the Fire Lily. She held it in her hand and stared at the brown paper package before her. She swallowed before tearing the paper away to reveal a book with a magnificent leather cover. It was red with the black Fire Nation emblem on the front. Her eyes were wide.

The princess pulled the book from the paper and opened the cover. A label was inside it._ To: Princess Azula. _And _From: Akuzo. _She found herself swallowing again, examining her gift. After she read the (lengthy) note from the author, she realized the captain's sister had made the book especially for her. A ghost of a smile danced across the girl's face.

o0oOo0o

Katara was just slipping from her room the next morning when she ran into Sokka. Her hair was still dripping from her relaxing bath and her blue bag was tucked under her arm. She was planning to pack her things on trusty Appa, then head down to her and Zuko's secret stream to practice a bit of her bending. But her plans were altered. "Can I talk to you?" her brother asked. His eyes weren't sparkling with his playful sarcasm or teasing. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. The waterbender gave a small nod.

He led her outside, walking down the long dirt road in silence. She spared him a glance or two but she didn't dare say a word. Her father used to take her on this sort of walk to break some bad news or give her a stern lecture. He thought it calmed the person down, but in reality, it made them want to throttle the point of the walk out of the person (wow. Awkward wording). Katara could feel her heartbeat quicken. She pushed back a stray strand of hair in nervousness. Sokka didn't seem to notice, eyes looking straight ahead, hands at his sides. The waterbender swallowed. This couldn't be good. What would her brother say?

Her question was answered as they stepped onto the sandy beach and her brother began his little speech. "Katara, I want you to know you can tell me anything."

'_Here we go.' _She thought. It took every bit of willpower she had to resist rolling her eyes. Sokka was becoming just like Dad. Like she could tell him about how she was secretly in love with Zuko, their— And it hit her like a ton of bricks. _Zuko. _Katara swallowed a dry lump in her throat and was sure to look straight ahead. He was trying to coax something out of her and he was not going to figure it out; not if she had anything to say about it.

"You know that, right?" Sokka looked across at his sister, knowing a huge secret was growing inside her. He knew she would crack sooner or later. She'd admit her secret soon. His baby sister nodded, never prying her cerulean eyes from the churning cerulean waves that crashed onto the shore. Sokka sighed. "Katara, I know about you and Zuko." The waterbender felt a twinge of nervousness flow through her every vein. As soon as she confessed, was her brother going to run off and massacre Zuko?

"I don't know what you mean, Sokka." Katara replied. She kept her eyes forward. The water tribe warrior stopped dead in his tracks, throwing his arm in the air in frustration.

"I saw him kiss you!" The blue-eyed girl only stared at her brother as though he had two heads. She almost asked 'when' but she certainly didn't want to upset Sokka any more than necessary. As if he could read her mind, he went on. "Last night! I saw you two talking and he kissed you on the nose!" He knew. And deep inside, Katara knew there was no use hiding it any longer. She couldn't lie straight to her brother's face.

But she could yell. Katara whipped around, brows furrowed, fists clenched. "What's the big deal, Sokka? Is it a crime for someone to like me enough to kiss me?"

"But you know who he is!" Sokka hissed, lowering his voice so that a passerby couldn't hear them. If word got out Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation was on Kyoshi, all hell would break loose.

"But he loves me!" Sokka's mouth hung open in shock and his finger was held in midair. He blinked twice as if he was asking himself if he was dreaming. He wasn't, to his dismay. "All I'm saying," Katara went on, "is that you wouldn't make such a big deal out of it if Aang kissed me." Her brother regained his composure and rolled his eyes.

"How do you know? _He_ wasn't the bastard that kissed you."

"Shows how much you know." the younger sibling scoffed, kicking a shell. She crossed her arms.

"What!" Sokka shouted. His hands flew to his head. "Aang kissed you?"

"Yeah." Katara said with a nod. "He was leaving and he kissed the tip of my nose. Zuko saw and that's what we were talking about last night: Aang. And that's who Zuko was imitating." The waterbender turned and walked along the water's edge. She carried her shoes so her feet could feel the coarse sand and cool water. It was a nice way to calm her from all of Sokka's yelling. Said brother jogged to catch up.

"I'm not done talking to you yet!" He gripped her arm, trying to pull her to face him.

"Then keep up!" Katara snapped. She broke free of his hold and continued on. Why was he making such a big deal out of Zuko kissing her? Why was it such a big deal to everyone? Was it such a crime for them to be together?

"Why couldn't you have chosen Aang?" Sokka blurted, arms flailing. "He's nicer and he wasn't trying to kill us for months!"

"Because Aang is a kid! At least Zuko is more mature and he understands me!"

"How could he? He's a self-absorbed prince!"

"No he's not!" Katara yelled. "You don't know him the way I know him and you never will because you're too stubborn to see with your heart instead of your eyes! You never even try to be civil with him!"

"I don't care! You can't be with him!"

"I don't care what you think! I love him!" The waterbender stomped her foot. A jet of water broke from the surface of the sea, spraying them with the salty liquid.

Sokka just stared at his sister, eyes wide. What had she just said? Katara was watching him intently, eyes brimming with angry tears. There was no way Katara was in love with that firebending jerk. There couldn't be…

o0oOo0o

Princess Azula stepped into the prison hold, sitting on a wooden crate outside of her uncle's cold cell. Iroh looked up, beaming. He took a seat across from her. Before he could finish his greeting, she cut him off. "Why did you tell Akuzo about my birthday?" Iroh was silent for a moment, blinking twice. Azula wasn't interrogating him? No threats, no menacing voice? Was she sick or something? That was it. She was sick. Or in love.

"Anyone that can call you by your first name only and not get fried to a crisp I consider your friend. And a boy that can do that…" Iroh trailed off, smiling widely. Azula glared daggers at her uncle. Why was he always so cheerful?

"Even if I did like him as…more than that, it doesn't matter." she replied, arms crossed. She crossed her legs, looking across the room toward an empty cell. It felt so strange to talk with someone so openly—especially Iroh. She had never been one to bond—especially with Iroh. She'd rather avoid people—especially Iroh. Do you see the pattern yet?

"Oh?" the ex-general said, arching a gray eyebrow. Azula glared again. Did she have to explain everything? Her uncle wasn't that forgetful. "Well, I suppose if he isn't a nobleman…"

"Exactly." Azula said. "Father sent me a letter and told me to make my decision of my groom-to-be soon. He's getting impatient with me." Iroh nodded. He seemed unfazed by the last statement.

"But Akuzo is in the naval forces. Don't you think that would be enough?"

The princess shook her head. "If he was a commander or general or admiral in the army, maybe Father would accept it. But Akuzo's a captain. I doubt Father would agree to it."

"Perhaps I could write to him?" Iroh said. "And try to hint at it?" Azula looked at her uncle. Why was he offering to help her? But then again…if it could get her to be with Akuzo…

"Alright."

Iroh smiled a knowing smile and his eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: I give credit to the 'advice from Iroh' thing to _Chibi Mistress_. Thankies!**

**WHAT ARE YOU DOING! DON'T HIT THE BACK BUTTON YET! YOU NEED TO REVIEW, SWEATERMONKEY!**


	19. Bumps in the Road

**A/N: 'Nother quick update! I lurved writing it—hope you lurve reading it!**

o0oOo0o

Aang and his friends sat on Appa, just about to take off. The young Avatar was waving goodbyes as the entire town herded around the bison. In the very front was the "fan club" squealing, waving, and jumping like their lives depended on it. Sokka noticed the lead Kyoshi warrior was nowhere in sight. Her father pushed to the front of the crowd, bowing. "It was good to have you with us, Avatar Aang. Do not hesitate to stop here again if you need anything." Aang bowed from his spot on Appa.

"Thank you for having us. And we won't." The boy sat down, taking the reins of his guide. "We might stop by before the end of summer." The boy's smile faded ever so slightly. Suki's father didn't notice. Everyone on Appa knew what the Avatar meant. They'd need all the help they could get for the final battle. With a final wave from Aang and a "yip-yip" Appa took to the skies, the island of Kyoshi growing smaller by the second.

The airbender didn't notice the tension around him. How he couldn't was beyond Katara; it was so thick you could cut it with a knife. She cast her gaze toward her stewing brother who'd really gone off on the ex fire prince before they left. Of course Aang hadn't been there. Zuko wouldn't be breathing if he'd been there. But Zuko was quiet the entire time. He hadn't said anything to Sokka whatsoever. Hell, he hadn't said anything to anyone. The firebender just sat on the saddle, looking out over the horizon.

"So what happened with Suki, Sokka?" Aang asked, airbending himself to sit with the others. The water tribe boy looked toward his young friend, thoughts scattered.

"Oh. She never said anything else." Aang smiled sadly. "But I left her a note." Sokka added half-heartedly. A sad smile covered his face.

He shook his head. "I would have tried to talk to her, but _someone,_" –he shot a patronizing look toward Zuko- "caused a problem this morning."

"What did he do?"

"Nothing!" Katara interjected, practically leaning over Sokka to talk to the Avatar. "Say, Aang, I bought some fabric at the market yesterday. I was thinking I should make you some new clothes. Those are getting too small, don't you think?" The airbender looked down at his clothes. It was true. He had grown quite a bit since he'd come out of the iceberg. And his clothes were pretty patched up.

"Thanks Katara. That sounds good."

'_That was close.' _Katara thought as she pulled the cloth from her bag. Aang smiled, examining the fabric. The waterbender shot her brother a look while her friend was preoccupied. Sokka glared right back.

o0oOo0o

Iroh had finished his letter to his brother and sealed it with wax. He placed it on his small rickety wooden desk with care. Just as he had done so, his (shudders I say! Shudders!) niece stepped through the threshold of his cell. The man smiled, looking up at her. "I have finished." he announced, leaning back. He laced his hands together.

Princess Azula held out an expecting hand. "Let me read it." Iroh shook his head, raising a finger. "Why not?" she asked, her eyes narrowing to slits. It was all about her. Why couldn't she read the damn thing?

"Just trust me, Azula. You know I have always been a man of persuasion."

The girl slowly lowered her fingers, nodding slightly. "I'll take it to a messenger hawk and that will be it." Iroh handed her the scroll. She turned and left, locking the door behind her.

And she did as she said she would.

o0oOo0o

It had been days since the group had left Kyoshi.

The conflict between Zuko and Sokka had smoothed over a bit, but giant bumps still kept them apart. The older brother said he couldn't stop them from liking each other, but he didn't want Aang finding out and mutilating everyone in sight; especially, he said, since he can firebend now. He also didn't want them to be alone together a lot and he didn't want Katara getting hurt. So that only left them little pecks here and there while the Avatar was off somewhere. This disgusted Sokka, by the way.

But Katara was still aloud to be with Zuko, and she appreciated her brother for his understanding. She had said so, but Sokka only nodded, looking up at the moon. He knew all about unacceptable love.

They were stopping someplace every night and leaving around noon the next day. Everywhere they went, they searched for an earthbending teacher. Everywhere they went, there were master earthbenders, but they never found the "right" teacher. Aang kept saying King Bumi told him to find a teacher that could listen to the earth and Sokka kept saying Bumi was crazy. But the Avatar never lost hope. He was the hope, so how could he lose any?

"You need to stop being so picky, Aang!" Sokka exclaimed, enraged. The boy had finally mastered waterbending and had begun the basic training for firebending.

"I'm fine, Sokka!" the boy insisted. "I practice earthbending every day and I'm teaching myself new moves. I need to worry about firebending right now. I'll have to fight fire with fire to beat the Fire Lord." Sokka threw up his hands, stomping away mumbling about going fishing.

Katara shook her head, tossing Zuko his shirt. She had finished mending a humongous hole in the side. Of course, that was after she'd healed a mediocre burn. It seemed his pupil was advancing quite well. At first, Aang had said he wanted to go back to leaf training and that he didn't have enough control. And Zuko (through the pain) said that's why he'd been hit—because the boy _did _have enough control to actually direct the flames. But what did Aang do anyway?

He did deep breathing exercises for two hours.

But now he was done. But now he was prancing around saying how he liked his new roomy clothes and how they were made just like his old ones and how he'd wear them forever. And Zuko was really getting tired of it.

"Aang, could you just _shut up?_" the older firebender asked, rubbing his temples. "We already know about your clothes and how much you love them. Just _shut up._"

"But they're so roomy and--"

"Comfortable."

"Yeah, and--"

"They're like your old ones."

"Yeah, and--"

"You like the colors." Katara just smiled, watching the two go back and forth. It really was cute to watch. Zuko seemed like the big brother type- stern and serious but full of sarcasm. And Aang was the little brother type- happy and talkative and full of joy. Their relationship would never change.

"Yeah, and--"

"You love Katara." the firebender said with a yawn.

"Yeah, and--" Aang cut himself off. "Wait, what did you say?" He stopped his little clap and slap dance (from "Bitter Work") of joy and gave his teacher the most humiliated look the waterbender had ever seen. A blush crept onto his cheeks. He smiled nervously.

"Sokka can't catch fish! We should know that by now! I'll go help him!" Before Katara could let a giggle slip, the Avatar was gone, airbending himself across the beach. As soon as he was gone, the waterbender broke into laughter.

"That was mean, Zuko."

"And that's why your laughing." the firebender said dryly, hiding a small smile. He stood. "Let's go get some firewood." Katara nodded and followed. By the time they returned, laughing and joking about something, Sokka and Aang had returned.

"That was fast." the girl commented, setting down an armful of wood. Zuko set to work at arranging the fire pit saying nothing.

"Octopus boy here decided to use waterbending." Sokka grumped, sitting down to make fillets of the fish. Aang struck a pose and the water tribe boy threw a flopping fish in his face. The Avatar fell into the sand, laughing. Sokka continued to grumble. "Try to get the kid back and he laughs about it…"

"The advantages of being his bending teacher…" Zuko commented. The fire roared to life as he lit it, placing a few fish fillets on a stone near the fire. He sat back in the sand, looking up at the darkening sky. Aang airbended his way over, doing the same. "So, uh…what are we looking at?" the younger boy asked mockingly. Zuko gave him one of those I'm-trying-to-hate-you-but-I-can't looks. Sokka started laughing.

"Even the oh-so-great firebending prince can't hate the Avatar!" he choked. He ducked to avoid an orange streak of fire.

Aang laughed "Good one, Zuko!"

o0oOo0o

Azula's footsteps seemed quieter than usual to her. Maybe it was because of her heart pounding in her ears. A scroll was clutched in her hand, wax Fire Nation insignia sealing it. Her father had written back to Iroh. The princess turned left and found herself face to face with the guards in front of the prison hold. They stepped aside. She took the keys to Iroh's cell, stepping inside and allowing the door to swing shut behind her.

The gray-haired man looked up, smiling. He was playing some sort of card game by himself. "He wrote back." the girl said, passing the scroll through the bars. She sat on her usual crate and waited. Her uncle unrolled the letter and cleared his throat before reading.

"Iroh," he said, eyes meeting with his niece's, "I am glad to hear Princess Azula has finally captured you though it should not have taken so long." Iroh noted how the girl's fists clenched. That was nothing compared to what was coming.

"I am surprised to hear that my daughter stopped her ship for an entire day due to injuries. I hope she does not make the same mistake again. She is wasting valuable time. She is to capture her traitor brother and return home without sidetracking." Iroh met the eyes of Azula again. Hers were slightly glazed over but the anger in them was clear as day.

"As for this captain she seems interested in, I am willing to give him a try." Azula was on the edge of her seat. "I am sending a representative that shall stay on the ship for three days to judge the boy on my behalf. Tell Azula to stop at Kinko Island to pick him up on the new moon." Iroh set the letter down and the princess smiled. It was the first real smile he'd seen on the girl since she was four.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Yay! We all lurve Iroh! And about the Sokka accepting Zuko thing—he's only doing it for his sister and he's still going to hate the guy.**

**Now REVIEW! **

**Iroh threatens you with a bat**

**…while asking if you want some tea…**


	20. Kinko Island

**A/N: I'll tell you what I told everyone else: I'm sorry. Don't hurt me. I've got tons of family visiting. I would have been done sooner, but my internet crashed yet again. I swear, my computer is plotting against me! The good news:**

**I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Gieco. **

**The better news: **

**You get your story.**

o0oOo0o

Azula pulled open Akuzo's door heavy, stepping inside quietly. The door closed behind her, squeaking slightly. The captain stirred in his sleep, making the princess freeze. Once he settled back in, she relaxed, climbing into his bed beside him. He didn't even move. She smiled at her own clever plot. She closed her eyes to go to sleep, knowing that she'd tell him about the letter in the morning.

o0oOo0o

My brother groaned when I woke him, mumbling something about 'five more minutes'. Aang was up already, running after Momo. The mischievous lemur had stolen his master's new shirt. I shook my head and threw Sokka's blanket in his face. Brothers were such a pain. I went and sat with Zuko by the crackling fire. He had already started a pot of rice over the fire pit. At least one of them could get themselves up in the mornings. If it weren't for Zuko, I probably would have gone insane before the end of the summer. Aang ran by, still chasing after his pet. The lemur had put on the shirt, tripping over the long sleeves. Yes, I would have gone crazy.

I pulled a few mangos out of the food sack, tossing one to Zuko. He nodded thanks and took a bite, eyes following the Avatar. He shook his head, swallowing and picking up another mango. Before I knew it, he sent it sailing through the air toward my brother. It hit him in the side and he sat up quickly, ready to shout something. He never got the chance. "Breakfast is ready." the firebender said, taking the pot of rice off the fire.

Sokka rubbed his eyes groggily. "Rice? That's it?"

"No." Zuko replied, dishing the rice into bowls. "There are mangos."

"Where?"

"I threw one at you." the firebender replied absently, handing me a bowl. I thanked him and heard Sokka mumble something before he came over, his fruit in hand. Aang finally came over, slipping his shirt over his head. He took a seat on the ground, taking a bowl of rice. My brother dug in, shoveling his meal down as if he was in a race.

"You're going to choke, you know." I warned him. Sokka didn't reply but kept eating. Aang pulled some nuts from his bag, offering them. And that's when the oh-so-mighty water tribe warrior started coughing. Note the sarcasm. Once he was done, three pairs of eyes rested on him. "I told you so." I said, turning back to my food. Sometimes I swear my brother will die eating.

"Aang, you have a hole in your shirt." I pointed out. The Avatar looked down at his new shirt, eyes wide.

"Momo!" he exclaimed, turning to his lemur. Said pet lowered his ears and scampered away. I shook my head.

"I'll just patch it up. It's not a big deal."

But when we'd packed and cleaned up camp, I realized it _was _a big deal. "Guys," I said, rummaging through my bag, "we need to stop at the next market. I'm out of thread." Sokka groaned, shoulders slumping. I shot him a death glare. He held up his hands in defense. Aang was already on Appa, digging through his bag for the map. Leaping down, he unrolled it while we all huddled around.

"We can stop here." Zuko suggested, pointing to a small island. It wasn't that far from where they were on the mainland. Aang nodded.

"Kinko Island it is."

o0oOo0o

Akuzo woke shortly before sunrise, his arms draped around something warm. Someone warm, actually. His eyes snapped open to see Princess Azula sleeping peacefully with her head on his bare chest. He arched a questioning eyebrow. Why was she here? As if on cue, the girl's eyes fluttered open. The instant she saw him, she smiled. He stared, open mouthed.

"I was going to wake you last night, but I figured I should let you sleep." she told him groggily. She smiled. He blinked, not saying a word. "I have good news." The girl sat up on her legs. Akuzo let her go, glancing off to the side, trying to hide a blush. Just the other day this girl had said they couldn't be together and now she had slept with him? He inwardly cringed as he noticed what he had thought. It hadn't been that way, but…

Azula went on to say how her father had been willing to give him a try and how they'd pick up a representative on the new moon. She was sure to leave out the part about Iroh being the one sending the letter. Once she'd finished (which didn't take very long) she just sat there watching Akuzo gape at her. He thought he was dreaming for a moment, but when the princess put a hand on his shoulder saying "Are you alright?" he came to his senses.

"You're serious?" he asked. _'Of course she's serious, you idiot!' _he yelled at himself. She nodded. "But I thought you had to marry a nobleman."

"But you're in the navy so…" The captain gave a small nod, still not believing his ears.

o0oOo0o

Appa spiraled downward into the small village on the island. People crowded around, pointing. They couldn't believe that the Avatar was actually on their tiny island. I smiled as I saw a little boy tug on his mother's skirt, pointing up at us. Zuko pulled on his hat before we landed. When we touched down, a man in long green robes stepped forward. He bowed deeply, his green eyes closing. He had thin gray hair that fell nearly to his waist.

"Greetings, Avatar." he said. Aang jumped off his bison, bowing in return. "I am Chun, governor of Kinko Island."

"It is nice to meet you." Aang replied. It has always amazed me at how polite and business-like he can be at times.

"Please," Governor Chun said softly, "what brings you to this small island?"

The Avatar smiled sheepishly as the rest of us climbed from Appa. "We needed to get to a market, sir."

"Ah, I see. Well, we would be happy to give you anything you may need, free of charge." The man motioned the boy closer, putting his hand up as if to whisper. He didn't change his volume. "The moon peaches are especially good about this time."

"We actually only needed a few spools of thread." Aang replied, hand behind his head. The hole on the side of his shirt was in plain view. Chun and a few of the townspeople that had gathered laughed.

"Well, Sue Lee here can show you were that is. Her mother owns a small shop for sewing." the governor replied. A girl stepped from the crowd, hands lost in her long sleeves. Her kimono was amazingly detailed with flowers and vines sewn into the ivory hem of her sleeves. Much larger flowers covered the forest-green part of her dress, accompanied by leaves. She didn't look much younger than Aang.

"Thank you, sir." the Avatar said, bowing to the governor. He bowed back.

"We are glad to help. Please let me know if there is anything else we can do for you and your friends." My friend nodded and Sue Lee stepped forward, taking Aang's hand.

"My mom's shop is this way." she said, leading us through the small crowd. The streets were few but they were packed with buildings and stands for the market. Children ran about, chasing each other. I smiled, watching them.

We reached the shop quickly. I suppose there are some advantages to living in such a small village. As we stepped through the wooden doors, I nearly gasped. Quilts and blankets sat on a shelf, each sewn by hand. The detail was amazing. There was everything from florals to element symbols to baby blankets. Clothes hung on the walls as well. A stunning ivory dress caught my eye. It was strapless with billowing skirts and a long train. I realized it was a wedding gown.

I barely had time to look at everything in the shop before Sue Lee spoke. "I'll be back." She released Aang's hand, going behind the counter and into the back room. We could still hear her, but just barely. "Mom….visitors…Chun….them….Avatar…need thread."

In no time, Sue Lee and her mother came out. The girl's mother smiled warmly, small wrinkles creasing along her face. She wore a brown and ivory dress quite similar to her daughter's but she wore an apron. Her brown hair was held tight in a bun.

"Hello." she said to Aang, holding his hand. "It's an honor to meet you, Avatar." The woman pulled Aang into a hug.

"You can call me Aang." the boy replied. The woman pulled away, looking at us all.

"And you can all call me Sakari." Sakari smiled, hugging me. "You have the most adorable hairstyle." she complimented. Even then, I could tell the woman was extremely kind. It was rare to find people so accepting anymore.

"Thank you."

She laid a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "You look like a warrior."

"I am."

"I'm glad. We need some brave souls in this world." She turned to Sokka, doing the same. "You seem like you have the makings of a great warrior as well." Sakari turned, ushering us over to the far wall. Sokka didn't even bother to say he was a warrior.

"Well, my daughter tells me you need thread. What color? Do you have any preferences?" The far wall was covered in shelves. The ones in the middle held spools upon spools of thread and needles.

"Well," I began, "ivory and some sort of blue or green would be best." Sakari nodded, pulling a few spools from a shelf. She held one up to the Avatar's shirt. Shaking her head, she tried another and another. Finally, she held one up that was almost identical to the color of Aang's shirt. I nodded. "That one's fine."

"And I assume you'll want a blue one?"

"Something between blue and green." I replied. I didn't want to take two more if all I used the blue for was Sokka's pants.

"How about blue and green?" she asked. She pulled two from the shelf, comparing them with clothes. "Good matches?"

I nodded. "Perfect."

Sakari smiled. "Do you need any needles? I have too many to get rid of as it is." This woman was too kind. But I already felt bad for getting three spools of thread for free, no matter how small the cost.

"No thanks. I still have a few." I replied. The woman nodded.

"Do you need anything else? New clothes? Yarn or knitting needles?" We all shook our heads. "Alright, alright. I can see you all are roughing' it out there." Sakari laughed to herself, going behind the counter with the tread. Sue Lee sat on a chair there, head on her hands. I could tell she was used to her mother being somewhat of a chatterbox. The woman put the merchandise in a small drawstring bag, handing it to me with a wide smile.

"How much?" Aang asked, pulling a small bag of coins from his belt. Sakari's face fell and she shook her head.

"On the house. It's the least I can do for the Avatar."

Aang smiled, putting his money away. "Thank you, Miss Sakari."

"Just Sakari, honey." the woman said, putting her arm around Aang's shoulders. "Can I interest you all in some lunch? I was about to close shop."

o0oOo0o

Azula sat on her cushion in her room, meditating. She had just spoken to her crew, telling them that one of her father's representatives would be checking to see how thing's were going. She hadn't told them about Akuzo. Their eyes had nearly widened to the point that they could have popped out. With haste, their course was charted to Kinko Island. Now all she had to do was figure out where her brother was…

Her door silently opened, but she looked up. Akuzo closed the door behind him, sitting across from the princess. "We'll arrive early tomorrow morning." he said, crossing his legs.

"Good." the girl said, closing her eyes. He did the same and they synchronized their breathing to meditate.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: I absolutely love this chapter! Cue the happy dance! I hope you liked it just as well and don't hate me for not updating. **

**Please review!**


	21. Knocking

**A/N: Wow, you guys didn't come after me with torches and pitchforks! I'm amazed! I updated my other stories, but not this one. I had another giant case of writer's block. I had like three scenarios and I wrote the chapter about five times. But it was worth it for you guys!**

o0oOo0o

"Here you go." Sakari said cheerfully as she bustled into the room. She carried a tray full of food and a rather large pot of tea. My friends and I had agreed to joining the woman for lunch, making Sokka one happy warrior. Zuko had mumbled something to me along the lines of 'This will take forever.' I had thought the same thing, but didn't want to seem rude. This woman was very kind to close her shop for the day and invite us into her home with open arms.

Sakari set the large wooden tray down on the rectangular table they all sat around. There were so few cushions that some sat on pillows from the couch. The tray had a loaf of steaming bread, sushi, and soup. Sokka was practically drooling before he even served himself a plate. The shopkeeper smiled and laughed at the water tribe boy's appetite, saying there was much more in the kitchen, so eat all you want. Sokka nodded through a mouthful of noodles.

Sue Lee took a seat between the water tribe boy and Aang, surprisingly. She didn't seem to notice, much less care that Sokka was inhaling his food (and choking). She'd already struck up a conversation with the Avatar. "So what elements have you learned?" she asked, popping a piece of sushi into her mouth. I could tell right away Sue Lee would fit right in with all of Aang's fangirls at Kyoshi.

But the girl never received an answer. Her mother spoke. "So where are you all coming from?" Sakari was filling everyone's cups with tea, looking up at the Avatar.

"Oh, we're just traveling around." Aang said, "We can't stay in one place longer than overnight. It's too dangerous."

Sakari nodded. "It must be hard." she said with a small understanding frown. "Wherever you go, someone is always looking for you."

Sokka nodded. "Tell me about it. Firebenders don't know when to quit. A lot of them, anyway." The water tribe boy helped himself to another slice of bread.

"What do you mean 'a lot of them'?" Sue Lee questioned, shielding herself from Sokka spraying bits of food at her. Aang saved the girl from a nasty fate, speaking so his friend didn't have to. Sokka never had learned not to talk with his mouth full.

"There are a few rebel firebenders. A couple of them have started teaching me firebending."

The shopkeeper beamed. "I'm glad to hear that. People think that all firebenders are evil anymore. It's a shame. I don't think they'll ever be fully trusted again." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Zuko look down at the table. If—when—Aang ends the war, Zuko would be the Fire Lord. That would be a hard job if some thought you could never be trusted. I swallowed, trying to block that out of my mind.

Regardless of Sakari's comment, Aang smiled. "It might take another hundred years for them to be trusted again, but it's worth it." The Avatar's optimism could be so uplifting at times.

"I can't wait until my husband comes home." Sakari told us.

"He's fighting in the war?" I piped up, though the answer was obvious.

"Yes. He left when Sue Lee was eight. We haven't seen or heard from him in four years." I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. "Sue Lee's brother, Renku, left two months ago. He had just turned eighteen." Somehow, this cheerful woman had lost the undying spark in her eyes. It was heart-wrenching, and the worse part was that no one knew what to say to that.

Surprisingly, Zuko spoke up. "It's hard to watch someone leave for war." His voice was burdened with painful memories, but he pressed on. "But I'm sure Renku left because he loves you and Sue Lee. He didn't want to see you get hurt by the Fire Nation."

Sakari's smile returned. "Thank you." She turned to the rest of us. "Did you need a place to stay tonight?"

o0oOo0o

Iroh lay on his cot, wide awake. The gears in his head were still moving, never stopping. He knew the ship would be stopping at Kinko Island in the morning. When exactly in the morning, he didn't know. Hopefully it would be at the opportune time. Iroh was developing a plan that had been in the makings for his entire stay.

o0oOo0o

Sakari was laying down sleeping mats on the floor of the small living room for us. After a long discussion and some persuasion from the woman, we had decided to spend the night here. Aang had just returned from the stables. He had dropped Appa off there, along with a reluctant Momo. He'd brought back everyone's bags. I picked up one of the mats, laying it out on the floor. I felt bad that Sakari was going through all this work, just for us.

"Thank you, Katara."

"It's the least I can do." I replied. "After all, you are letting us stay in your house."

"Dear, it's an honor to have the Avatar and his companions here." Sakari said with a wave of her hand. I smiled weakly. There was a knot in my stomach, something wasn't right.

Sue Lee left the kitchen with a pot of tea and a plate of pastries. She set them on the table and Sokka rushed over. I rolled my eyes. Maybe I was just being paranoid. Nothing was wrong. The rest of us joined them at the table, pouring steaming hot tea into our cups.

"Thank you for letting us stay here, Sakari." Aang said. "And for the thread and the food."

"Yeah. These pastries are delicious!" Sokka said after swallowing.

"Any time." Sakari replied. "If you ever pass by, feel free to visit."

Just then, someone pounded on the door.

o0oOo0o

Iroh was just drifting off to sleep when he heard a long creaking noise. Flickering blue, then yellow light illuminated the room. He looked to see Azula standing by the single torch on the wall. She came over to the bars of her uncle's cell. "Uncle." she whispered. "Are you awake?"

The retired general sat up in bed. "Yes, Princess Azula." He yawned. "What are you doing here at this hour?" It had to be at least midnight and it was not like the princess to visit late at night.

"I wanted to know what Father might be looking for in my groom." Azula had seated herself on the cold metal floor outside the door. Iroh held back a sigh and sat on his rickety stool.

"Respect and discipline are two large factors." he began, "Always answer with titles and keep your back straight." The old firebender could tell his young niece was absorbing this information like a sponge. "Social standing and wealth, which will not help…" It had been a long time since Iroh had gotten married. It was hard to remember things such as this. "Knowing about Fire Nation politics is key…"

Azula inwardly cringed. Akuzo barely had a chance.

o0oOo0o

Everyone around the table was silent. Sakari, clearly puzzled to have a visitor after sunset, stood. The table vibrated, sending ripples across the tea in our cups. The sinking feeling in my stomach had returned and I had a funny feeling whoever was knocking had something to do with it. Just as the shopkeeper reached for the doorknob, I stopped her.

"Wait!"

She drew back, alarmed.

"What--" I put my finger to my lips, getting up myself. I peered out the small window next to the door. There was a man standing there, brown eyes piercing, red robes falling to the ground. Fire Nation. Before he could see me, I stepped to the side, my back to the door. My heart beat so loud I could hear it in my ears. What was that man doing here?

I mouthed to my friends. _Fire Nation. _Sue Lee dropped her cup, causing it to shatter, tea spilling off the edge of the table. Sakari's eyes widened as she motioned for us to go upstairs. We all hurried off, taking our bags with us. Aang stayed to thank the kind shopkeeper. "Tha--"

"Go!" she hissed in a whisper. "Go down the other stairs that lead into the shop to get out. Sue Lee, go with them. Stay at Yugi's tonight. I'll get you in the morning." Aang and Sue Lee nodded. The Avatar looked determined while the girl looked horrified. My mother had told me to run when the Fire Nation had invaded our village.

We all hurried up the stairs, sure to make as little noise as possible.

-o-o-o-

Sakari opened the door with a shaking hand. Sometime during the split-second action, she regained her composure. She put a smile on. "Hello." The man in front of her glared daggers, frown firmly in place.

The man held up a rolled piece of parchment. There was a flame insignia sealing it shut. "I am Hurun of the Fire Nation." he said. _He gets right to the point, doesn't he? _Sakari said to herself. "The Fire Lord has sent me here on a mission. I need a place to stay the night." Sakari swallowed hard, stepping aside to let a man from the enemy nation in. The shopkeeper knew the second Hurun set foot on the clean wood floors, she'd never see the house the same way again.

The man stepped inside, looking over the living room, mapping out his surroundings. The walls were white with a single trail of pink flowers painted across them. The chairs were wooded, cushions around the table green. The house of Earth Kingdom scum… so different from proud Fire Nation homes. He eyed the woven sleeping mats that lay on the floor in a neat row. His eyes narrowed. Something wasn't right…

"May I interest you in some tea, sir?" Sakari asked, cleaning up Sue Lee's broken teacup.

"As long as it's not cheap." he replied, setting down the bag on his shoulder. It landed with a thump on a chair by the door. He sat on one of the cushions around the table and stared at the green teapot as if it were something horribly disgusting.

"Here you are." the woman said cheerily, handing him a cup. Luckily, the Avatar and his friends had not drunk any tea from their cups. And Sokka was the only one that had taken a pastry. Hurun took a sip of the steaming drink, setting it down.

Suddenly, a creak sounded on the floorboards upstairs. Hurun gave the woman an inquisitive look. "Just the cat." she said with a smile. She silently prayed to the gods that the children would be lighter on their feet. A cat couldn't account for everything.

"May I ask why you have so many sleeping mats?"

The man arched a dark eyebrow. Sakari thought fast. "My daughter was going to have a little slumber party with her friends tonight." The woman laughed. "But they decided to go to someone else's house at the last moment." She rolled her eyes for good measure. "It's not like I need a bunch of giggling girls keeping me up all night anyway."

Hurun didn't respond. He didn't even seem to acknowledge the fact that the woman had spoken. The Fire Nation man took a sip of his tea. Sakari swallowed. Her heart was racing and she could feel a bead of sweat beginning to form on her forehead. And then a thought hit her: what if this man was sent to start an invasion? A vision flashed before her eyes; one of Sue Lee laughing as she rode on Renku's shoulders…

"Do you have any honey?" Hurun asked, shattering Sakari's vision. The woman looked up, smiling.

"I have some in the kitchen. I'll get some for you." The woman took his cup, stepping into her small kitchen. The wooden door swung shut behind her.

She bypassed the cabinet with the syrups and condiments and opened the one that held canned goods. Sifting through to the back of the cupboard, she found what she was looking for: a small green bottle with a blank white label around it. Sakari stood, eyeing the bottle. Her husband had told her where it was, but only to use it in emergencies. She swallowed and uncorked the bottle, pouring a few drops of the liquid into Hurun's cup.

-o-o-o-

We stepped into the cool night air, releasing a breath we didn't know we'd been holding. That was close. I was grateful I'd relied on instinct and actually checked to see who was at the door. I didn't even want to think about what would have happened had we not gotten out of there.

Sue Lee was in tears. She was scared for her mother; I could tell. She didn't say anything and she didn't sob. She only let the salty tears make streaks down her face. Aang laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, asking her where her friend's house was. He would walk her there and come back to meet us at Appa. No one said a word as we set off into the night.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Took me long enough to write this. I started writing this chapter like three days ago. It took me five tries to get it the way I wanted it! And let's not even get started on the editing! But I love it and I hope you enjoyed reading it.**

**NOW REVIEW!**


	22. Betrayal

**A/N: Yay! I'm finally done with the other stories I was working on so now you guys will get updates faster! And I really like the opening to this chapter… **

**(Cue my dance of joy)**

o0oOo0o

"You!" A terrified citizen shrunk back, trying to shield himself from the girl before him. "Tell me what you know about the Avatar. Where is he?" The man gasped, gray eyes wide when she pulled him forward roughly by the collar. His eyes were shut tight. He didn't want to look the terrifying Fire Nation girl in the eye. Her golden eyes were too haunting…

Azula didn't get her answer from the man. She threw him aside, looking toward the other terrified townspeople that were slowly backing away from her. Her eyes narrowed as she summoned blue fire to her hand. A man turned and ran away, only to be blocked off by one of the girl's tall soldiers. "No one's going anywhere until I get answers!" she barked, persistent flame growing along with the people's fear.

The princess and her crew had sailed into port around sunrise, just when the town was awakening. The girl had strode in proudly, Akuzo and his friend Riu flanked at her sides, three guards behind them. And she'd caught a snippet of a conversation that happened to be about the Avatar. Apparently, the boy and his companions had stayed overnight, disappearing before sunrise. This only sparked Azula's rage. She'd managed to stumble onto his whereabouts only a few hours too late.

But she'd make up for it. She'd get this bunch of Earth Kingdom scum to talk even if it killed her.

"Azula!" The firebender in question turned to meet the caramel gaze of her trusted captain. Akuzo had a woman with him, her hands tied behind her back. She had brown hair held in a tight bun and tiny wrinkles forming across her face along with a few bruises (A/N: not from Akuzo, people. It's foreshadowing). Her ivory dress was hidden by an apron. "The Avatar stayed at her house last night." Akuzo said, leading the woman forward by the shoulders. Azula regained her composure, standing tall with her hands behind her back.

"Let her go. She won't go anywhere with so many soldiers around." the princess ordered. The captain released the woman and Azula stepped forward, looking her over with criticizing eyes. "The Avatar and his companions stayed in your home?"

The woman didn't answer. She only looked at the ground. Determination was written all over her face.

Azula sighed. "What is your name?"

The woman looked up, clearly surprised. "Sakari."

"Sakari." The princess seemed to be testing the name. "Sakari, would you be so kind as to tell me who was with the Avatar?" The princess tried a different approach. Perhaps if she was more like Uncle Iroh, she'd get as many answers as Uncle Iroh. Or not. Sakari did not speak.

Just then, Riu came pushing past the crowd of people, holding something tight. "I said let me go you barbaric imbisile!" Sakari looked up, her green eyes wide. Riu appeared with a little girl in front of him. She had brown hair and an embroidered ivory dress. She was desperately squirming to escape.

"I found this girl going back to the house the woman lives in." Riu said, holding the girl's shoulders tight.

Azula stepped forward, kneeling in front of the girl. "This woman is your mother, isn't she?" she asked, voice like poisoned honey. "Why weren't you at home last night?" The girl stopped squirming, stomping on the ground. A spike of earth jutted out, making Azula fall backward.

"Go to hell!" the girl yelled. Sakari stared at her daughter in disbelief.

The princess stood, narrowed eyes the only indicator of her rage. She brushed dirt from her shoulders. "That's a pretty grown up word from such a little girl." Azula said quietly, eyes locking with the girl's green ones. "And that was brave." The girl stopped squirming, blinking in confusion. Azula arched a brow. "You don't know who I am, do you?"

"I don't need to know who you are! You're a firebender!"

Azula kneeled down again. "The princess of the Fire Nation." she hissed. Sakari's eyes widened while others in the crowd gasped. "And standing up to a princess that can bend lightning with puny earthbending is rather brave, if you ask me."

"I'm not puny!" the girl shouted, kicking at the firebender's face. Azula caught her foot, smirking. The princess stood, motioning to one of her soldiers.

"Take Sakari to the ship. She is our prisoner." Azula turned, walking away from the group. A single tear leaked out of the new prisoner's eye, but she did not fight back. The girl yelled to Azula, voice surprisingly confident.

"If I tell you about the Avatar, will you let my mother go?"

"It depends on what you have to tell me." Azula replied. She didn't bother to turn around.

"He's traveling with--"

"Sue Lee, no!" Sakari yelled over her shoulder. The woman finally tried to break free of her captor's hold. Her daughter merely looked at the ground, brows furrowed. As much as it hurt to betray the Avatar, her mother was all she had left. If her mother was gone, what would happen to her? Where would she go? And if the girl had done nothing, there was no telling the hardships her mother would endure.

"With two people from the Southern Water Tribe." Sue Lee began. "The girl is a waterbender. A master. And the boy has been taught to be a warrior since he was ten. There was also another boy. I didn't catch his name and I don't know if he was a bender or not. He had dark hair and golden eyes."

Azula absorbed the information like a sponge. The last member of the group—the one with gold eyes—was probably new. And judging from his traits, most likely a traitor to the Fire Nation. The princess stood there for a moment. Everyone around her was dead quiet. It seemed every single one of the townspeople were holding their breath. "Men! Back to the ship." The soldiers did as they were told.

"Wait!" Sue Lee cried. "I can tell you more!"

Azula's eyes narrowed as she whipped to face the child. "If it is just more information about his companions, I don't care! I have faced them in battle; I know what they're like!" The princess turned and stalked off, only to be frozen by the girl's words a few steps away.

"The Avatar is looking for an earthbending teacher! He's mastered water and air!"

The gears in the princess's brain were spinning. Mastered water and air…but what about fire? The Avatar had used firebending that day with the catapults! And then it all clicked. The gold eyed boy was a firebender; a very powerful one at that. Azula turned to look at the girl. Sue Lee had tears streaming down her face, staring back at the princess with pleading eyes.

"Riu!" the princess barked, not taking her eyes off the girl.

"Yes, princess?"

"Release Sue Lee and go up to the ship to retrieve her mother." Silence. "Now!" Riu took off through the crowd as if Azula had lit him aflame. Upon being released, Sue Lee collapsed on the ground, staring at her hands. Why did she feel so cold? What had she just done?

o0oOo0o

Once he was sure she was gone, Iroh stood, pushing at his cell door. Azula had been in such a hurry to find her father's representative that she hadn't locked the door. Or so he thought. The iron barred door wouldn't budge. The retired general hissed to himself.

Whenever his niece brought a cup of tea in to him, she stepped inside the cell, not locking the door once she entered. The man's original plan was to wait until the princess did that while they were at dock. He'd be able to knock her out and escape. Just his luck. He had decided to play it safe and wait. Now he'd need to wait Agni-knows-how-long just for the same opportunity.

The firebender sat back on his cot, hands clasped. Though he didn't show it, Iroh really was getting tired of being stuck in this damp cell. He always tried to be optimistic, but it was getting challenging. He was worried about his beloved nephew. Where was Zuko? Was he alright? A stream of never-ending questions flew through Iroh's mind. He suddenly pounded his fists on the desk, angry. He should have been more careful in the fight with Azula. Then maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't be here of all places.

The retired general looked up when he heard the door to the prison hold creak open. An armored soldier led a woman in by the shoulders. The woman's eyes were downcast, tears streaming silently down her face. The bottom of her ivory dress was getting dirty as it brushed the floor. She was put in the cell next to Iroh's and the guard left, locking both doors behind him.

Only then did the woman start sobbing.

Iroh leaned over, sitting on his stool. "May I ask what is the matter?" he asked softly. The woman looked up, blinking. She sniffed.

"Only that I've been torn away from my home and my daughter." she replied harshly. "All I did was let the Avatar and his friends stay at my house. Leave it to a bunch of Fire Nation soldiers to show up the next day." She snorted. Iroh's eyes were soft and caring.

"You only live with your daughter?"

The woman nodded. "My husband has been at war and my son just left." Her voice squeaked. "Sue Lee is all I've got left. I'm all she's got left. She's twelve; she needs me."

Iroh was quiet. It was so hard to handle his son's death. The only thing he could imagine that was worse was what this woman was going through. "She's so brave," the woman went on, "She stood up to the princess and she was actually complimented on it. Sort of." Iroh's eyes widened.

"She tried to help me." Sakari said. "But betraying the Avatar wasn't the way to go. She told them everything."

"The Avatar will pull through." Iroh laughed, surprising the woman. "He has put up with one of the admirals in the Fire Nation naval forces and with the prince of the Fire Nation. Just think of Azula as both of them rolled into one package." _A deadly package, _he thought.

"I suppose so." Sakari replied.

Just then, the door reopened and a guard rushed in. He pulled the woman from her cell. "The princess has ordered for you to be released."

Iroh's eyes narrowed. There had to be a pretty big piece of information given by the girl for Azula to release the woman. Something was going on and the retired general had an itch to find out what.

o0oOo0o

We woke around sunrise, thanks to Zuko. Sokka was moaning about how we hadn't got to sleep until nearly midnight. Aang had insisted they get as far away from the island as they could. He had been the one to supply the idea that the man was from Azula's ship. But by Katara's description of the man, Zuko disagreed.

"And you heard him. He said he was on a mission for the Fire Lord." the ex-prince replied. "He sounds like a representative, but of what, I don't know."

"Whatever." Sokka had said, rolling over in his sleeping bag. "Just go to sleep!"

Even though my brother had been the first asleep after the end of the conversation, he was the last to wake up. I rolled my eyes, going into the woods to gather firewood. Zuko came with me while Aang found a puddle ("Hey," he said, "it's water.") to practice some waterbending. I rolled my eyes.

The morning was surprisingly cool and quiet. Very few creatures seemed to be up so early. Zuko and I set to the task at hand. "All the wood is wet." the firebender commented, dropping yet another log. I nodded.

"It's the rainy season hear."

"Great."

After a few more minutes of futile searching, I stopped, letting a short tree branch fall to the ground with a thud. "I give up. This is hopeless. We should eat something that doesn't need cooking." I shook my head. "Come on. Let's get back to--" I turned, walking straight into Zuko's chest.

I felt his warm arms wrap around my waist. It would never cease to amaze me how gentle this firebender could be. He leaned down and kissed me long and hard. I snaked my arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss. I felt the blood pumping in my ears, I could taste the heat of the moment. Electricity flowed through my veins and my eyes fluttered closed. We finally pulled away, but just enough so that I could remain in his embrace. The silence between us was comforting and I secretly wondered what Zuko was thinking. Did he feel the exact same way?

But the comfortable silence, along with our embrace, was shattered. "Would you two stop flirting! That grosses me out!" We both tore apart to see Sokka pushing past a leafy tree branch. He stopped, arching an eyebrow. "Did you two find _any _firewood?"

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Okay, I got a little Zutara in there. Not much, but it's something. I'll try to get some more in soon; don't worry. **

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	23. Worry and Hate

Azula sat in her room, glaring at the wall as if it had caused her all of her troubles. Not one single person had seen which direction the Avatar had gone. And when she found her father's representative (in Sakari's house), he'd been knocked out by poison. Sakari had thought the man had been starting an invasion. Lucky for the Fire Nation man, he had detected the poison in his tea on the first sip and didn't drink any more. He was fine, but he was still unconscious in the infirmary of the ship.

The princess had ordered her men to continue along the coast of the Earth Kingdom. She could only hope and pray to Agni they would stay close to the coast.

A knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts. Akuzo opened the door a crack, pushing it open all the way when he saw his crush. She was lying on her back in her oversized bed. "The representative is awake, Azula." Just like that, the princess sat bolt upright.

o0oOo0o

I groaned as I rolled over. This ride on Appa was driving me insane. Aang just told me to relax and enjoy the scenery. It barely ever changed! How was I supposed to enjoy it? There were only miles upon miles of trees where we were. Occasionally, we'd pass a market, but only if we were lucky. Sokka wasn't fairing well either. He questioned the annoyed Avatar every five minutes. And the question should be asked in five…four…three…two—

"Aang, can we land _yet?_"

"No, Sokka." the airbender replied. He hadn't even bothered to look up. The boy had been sitting on Appa's head, staring off into the deep blue ocean for the best of the day, his trusty staff across his lap. "I want to put as much space between Azula and us as we can."

"But, Aang," I piped up, "You still need to find an earthbending teacher."

The boy slumped. Anyone with eyes could tell he was under immense pressure. "I know, Katara. I just don't want to have another run-in with her, especially if it's on land." He turned, floating to join us on the humongous saddle.

"No encounter with her is a good one." Zuko said. Three pairs of eyes glued themselves to the firebender. He didn't look up either.

"I'm just worried about stopping the Fire Lord." I said, nervousness ebbing into my voice. "What if you don't find an earthbending teacher in time?" Aang sighed. I knew what I said had worried him as well as my friends, but he needed to face the truth. If he wanted to end the war at all, he needed to master all four elements before the comet came crashing to earth. And so far, things weren't looking so great. He had three months to master the elements and assemble a massive invasion force to break into the Fire Nation.

Aang swallowed. I could tell he was choosing his words carefully. "I know I need an earthbending teacher and everything, but finding the best one is important."

"You can always find one that can teach you a few new moves and keep looking." I pointed out. Aang said nothing as he stared at the saddle.

That creeping feeling that I had when Zuko had shown up was coming back. I didn't like it. Not one bit.

o0oOo0o

Azula stepped into the infirmary along with Akuzo. The captain shut the door quietly behind him. There was no need. The representative seemed to be in perfectly fine condition. He didn't need any quiet. "You," he said, pointing to a healer. "Out. I need a moment with the princess." The healer wasted no time in scurrying from the room, taking a bottle of medicine with him. Azula took a seat in the wooden chair next to the bed, crossing her legs.

"Princess Azula, my name is Hurun." the man said, bowing from his seat. The princess bowed back.

"It is an honor to have you aboard my ship."

"It is an honor to be here." Hurun glanced over toward Akuzo, who stood tall behind the princess's seat. He arched a brow as the captain bowed, taking off his helmet.

"Captain Akuzo, sir." he said, standing tall once more. He kept his helmet tucked under his arm. The young man could hear the blood pumping in his ears and felt his heart rise to his throat. Never before had he believed this situation would be so unnerving. Hurun didn't bow back. Instead, he looked the captain over from head to toe, eyes narrowed.

"Hurun," Azula began, eyes also narrowed, "what is your place in my father's eyes?"

"I am a scribe, my princess." the man replied. He was sincere toward her, all hints of hate gone.

"I see." the princess stated with a smile. She already hated this man. "Then I do believe you have just shown my captain disrespect. Don't you agree?" Hurun gulped. He was like putty in her hands now.

"Forgive me, Princess Azula." The man got on the floor, bowing at her feet.

"Don't ask me." she snapped, waving to Akuzo. "Ask Akuzo."

Hurun hesitated, but only slightly. _This girl sure has changed, _he thought. Though Azula did not remember, Hurun had seen quite a bit of this girl. She was not at all like the one who had just spoken to him. The princess he knew did not stand up for people. _She must have fallen rather hard. _"Forgive me, Captain Akuzo." the scribe said, using his title. The princess had not. Hurun made a mental note to ask her why when the opportunity presented itself again.

"All is forgiven." Akuzo replied, brown eyes falling on the man on the floor. Hurun stood, eyes locking with the princess's.

"Does anyone know why I am here?" he asked.

"No one but my uncle, Akuzo, and myself." So the captain did know? They had to be rather close to actually get their feelings out in the open. This only brought hundreds of unanswered questions to the surface. The scribe did not bother to worry about any of them. He'd get his answers.

"Well, how about all of us sit down to dinner to discuss this situation?"

o0oOo0o

I stood at the edge of the water, bending it to my will. We'd landed (finally), and to my delight, there was a lake within walking distance. Though it was late and everyone else was asleep already, I continued my practice. My doubts about Aang were growing. I hated to admit that, but the more strong warriors we had to help, the better. All I could do was take care of myself.

Bringing up a massive amount of the blue liquid, I twirled my arms, wrapping it around my legs. It formed a tornado of water that narrowed as it lifted me up above the sandy beach. A smile slid onto my face. I'd done it! Even getting that move had been the biggest challenge I'd ever faced. Even after two hours I hadn't gotten it. But there I was, at the top of a swirling vortex of water. Suddenly, the water gave way and I went toppling into the shallow water with a splash; my concentration had been weakened too much. Sitting up, I spit a stream of unwelcome water from my lips.

I stood up, resuming my position when a voice rang out behind me.

"It might be easier once you've gotten some rest." I whipped around, stream of water at the ready. It wasn't needed. Zuko stood at the edge of the trees, watching me. The water eased back into the lake with a flick of the wrist. Silence ensued. Zuko stepped closer, sand slipping past his feet and making small dunes. I swallowed. Why was I nervous? This was Zuko I was talking to. "You should come to bed."

Turning away, I collapsed in the cool sand with a sigh. My head fell into my hands. Why did this happen. Why did I get so moody so suddenly? A warm hand rested itself around my shoulders as the firebender sat down beside me. I fell into his arms, hot tears prickling at the back of my eyes. Zuko was my support. Sometimes, I found myself wondering what I would do without him.

"Katara…" His whispers in my ear soothed me even if it was only a single word. But he went on. "What's wrong?" I didn't answer right away; I didn't know how. I just clutched his bare shoulder, letting my tears fall onto his chest. He held me tighter, rubbing my back. "What's going on?"

"I'm scared." I managed. He froze, but soon continued rubbing my back.

"About what?"

"The comet. What if Aang doesn't find an earthbending teacher? He won't be able to defeat Ozai. Even if Aang does master all of the elements, what if he fails?" I swallowed a lump in my throat. I felt so helpless and I didn't know why.

"Everything will be alright." I couldn't hold back a sob. Even Zuko wasn't able to reassure me.

o0oOo0o

Hearing rustling, Aang woke up. He blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the inky darkness. He guessed it about midnight. Why had he woken up? The pre-teen soon got his answer. In the darkness, he could make out the shape of a person. Zuko, to be exact. The firebender was getting up from under his blanket, walking off into the woods. The Avatar looked after him curiously—until he noticed Katara's sleeping bag lay empty.

Aang got up silently, following his firebending teacher with narrowed eyes. He walked until they came to the lake. Zuko stood at the edge of the trees, hand on one of the trunks. The young man seemed to be looking out over the water. Curious, the Avatar airbended his way through the trees so he could get a better view of the lake without alerting Zuko. The Avatar knew it was wrong to spy, but he just had a funny feeling about the whole thing.

And then he saw what Zuko was actually watching. It was Katara. She was bending—using the water tornado. Apparently, she was still trying to master it because she fell into the water with a splash.

That was when Zuko stepped forward. "It might be easier once you've gotten some rest."

Katara whipped around with a stream of water, dropping it when she realized who had spoken. The firebender moved toward her, hand outstretched. "You should come to bed." The Avatar's eyes narrowed. He didn't like Zuko's tone.

Just like that, Katara turned away, collapsing in the sand with her head in her hands. Aang swallowed. What was wrong with his friend? What had happened? Aang's blood ran cold as he witnessed what happened next. It was like he saw it in slow motion. Zuko stepped forward, sitting beside Katara as he put his arm around her. The Avatar felt his anger rise up, blood boiling. His teeth clenched.

The waterbender collapsed into Zuko's arms. He rubbed her back reassuringly, up and down, up and down. Aang loosened up. His mouth hung open. What was Katara doing?

_He's only making her feel better. _His conscience reasoned. _And she only needs some support. They don't like each other. _But Aang knew what he thought was anything but truth.

Aang forced himself to keep watching. He couldn't stop. Zuko was whispering something to Katara. _Is he threatening her? _Aang thought, appalled. "I'm scared." He barely caught it, but he did. It was Katara.

"About what?"

"The comet." Katara was in tears now and Aang was holding them back himself. "What if Aang doesn't find an earthbending teacher? He won't be able to defeat Ozai. Even if Aang does master all of the elements, what if he fails?"

"Everything will be alright." Zuko told her, looking down at the crying girl. His eyes shut tight as she sobbed. The firebender drew back slightly, looking down at Katara. She wiped her eyes, shoulders shaking. Zuko tilted her chin up and…

Their lips met.

Aang's eyes widened, and then narrowed. He clenched his fists. That jerk stole Katara's first kiss!

But something was wrong. _Why isn't she pushing him away? _Aang thought desperately.

Reality finally sunk in as Katara wrapped her arms around Zuko. They broke from their tender kiss, the waterbender falling into her love's chest again. Zuko pulled her close. "It'll be alright."

Aang leapt from the tree, tears falling freely as he wordlessly made his way toward camp.

o0oOo0o

All four of them sat around the square table in the private dining room. Yes, all four of them. Somehow, Hurun had talked Azula into letting Iroh come and dine with them. "Orders from Ozai." he had claimed. The princess, though reluctant, let Iroh out. Azula hated Hurun for bringing it up, but the retired general had never been so glad to walk around a ship.

"So," Hurun began, "what are your feelings toward the princess, Captain Akuzo?" The captain passed the noodles to Azula, looking the man across the table in the eye.

"I love her." he stated, taking a bowl of vegetables from Iroh, thanking him. "I can't explain it any other way."

Hurun was taking notes on a pad of paper. His pen was writing faster than lightning. "Why do you feel that way?" Azula nearly dropped the vegetables. They hadn't planned on that question.

"We just…" Akuzo chose his words carefully. "We have a connection. She's strong and determined. She's a powerful bender. Not to mention beautiful." He smiled as he watched Azula blush from the corner of his eye. It was a good answer, judging by her reaction.

"I see." He didn't sound too pleased. Hurun dished up his plate. He took a bite before returning to his paper, scribbling away. "Princess Azula, has he confessed his love to you directly?"

"Yes." the princess replied. The scribe flinched, sending his pen on a crash-course landing off the paper. Azula arched a brow. "What, may I ask, is so wrong with that?" Her anger was rising. Hurun tripped over his words. Iroh sat back to enjoy the show.

"Nothing my princess. May I ask how he went about it?"

"Akuzo got me a book and a Fire Lily for my fifteenth birthday with a note." Azula sipped her tea as if it were nothing. Secretly, her anger was beginning to heighten. Her uncle smiled, going back for seconds on the fish. This food was heaven compared to the bread, cheese, and jerky he got in the prison hold. He'd make this meal worthwhile.

Hurun nodded. "Princess, why did you not call Captain Akuzo by his title?" Iroh froze mid-bite. This would be good.

"Because," Azula stated, "we only call each other by our first names." Why was this man asking her this? It wasn't important.

Hurun shook his head, only making the fiery princess want to lash out. "Your father won't be very pleased about that…" He busied himself with writing away.

"Your _job,_" Azula hissed, "is to represent my father and take notes, not comment about the answers you receive. It is not your place. _And,_" she said, standing up, "you can add that little speech of mine to your notes. Be sure to mention how you forgot your place." With that, the princess marched out of the room, leaving three gawking men to look after her.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Moody people! Too many! Anyway, hope you liked the chapter. **

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	24. Right Behind You

I awoke the next morning to the familiar sound of a crackling fire. I sat up groggily, rubbing the sleep from my tired blue eyes. It had taken hours for Zuko and I to get back to bed. You figure we'd get tired of just sitting there looking at the beautiful starry sky. But the fact was we hadn't, so I was waking up late. Judging by the sun, it was two, maybe three hours past sunrise. Unbelievable.

I stood to stretch, my back popping. I winced. It sounded disgusting but it felt so refreshing. That's when I found out who'd made the fire: Sokka. My jaw nearly dropped to the ground in stunned shock. My brother never started the fire or even attempted to cook, yet here he was. He looked up at me, no trace of a smile on his face. He looked back at his work and kept turning the fish on a stick. Why hadn't he said anything?

Sitting next to him, I wordlessly offered to take over his job. He shook his head so I sat back against a log. "Sokka, what's the matter with you this morning? You never cook." My brother didn't even bother to look up. He didn't even bother answering my question either. "Sokka? I asked you a question." I said, waving my hand in front of his face. The boy scowled, setting the fish down on a plate before he turned to me. Anger was clear in his eyes.

"When I woke up, Aang was gone."

I shrugged it off. "Maybe he just went to take a bath." The Avatar was known, after all, to be much more hygienic than my warrior brother.

"I woke up an hour and a half ago." I swallowed, now nervous. "Zuko woke up then too. He went to go find Aang." Sighing, I got up and journeyed into the woods to find my friends, not bothering to tell Sokka.

"Great. The one time I cook, no one is here to eat it." Sokka muttered. That was the time Momo decided to scamper up, looking at the boy with wide eyes.

o0oOo0o

Akuzo and Azula were in the training room by sunrise for sparring. The princess's bending wasn't as strong as usual; her mind was somewhere else. The captain decided to ask her about it. "Azula, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." she replied. She sent out a wave of blue fire from her fists, stepping forward and kicking out more burning flames. Akuzo brought up a wall that the girl's first attack destroyed. His wall had served its purpose. He dodged the second attack, sending out a flurry of fiery punches and a sweep kick. Azula ducked under the punches, getting the sweep kick head on. She divided it when it hit her, sending dancing orange flames off to the side.

Akuzo didn't attack again. "It's not nothing."

"Yes it is." The princess used the same attack as her opponent, adding a wall of flame at the end. Akuzo avoided it all, making a hole in the searing wall of flame. He dove through, landing mere feet from Azula.

"No it's not." he insisted. The princess took a few steps back, honestly surprised that the captain had avoided all of her attacks. "If I'd done that on one of your good days, I would have been pelted by more fire as I dove through that wall."

Azula tried to block him out. She knew he was right, but she would not and could not admit such a thing. She dodged another flurry of punches and leapt over a side kick. Akuzo saw his chance and knocked her out of midair with a fire blast. She fell but got up quickly. She sent out a sweep kick to keep Akuzo busy while she did. The captain divided the flames, attacking at close range. Azula was on the ropes. All she could do to avoid him was back up. Every attack she threw, he evaded or divided, quickly getting back on the defensive.

Soon, the princess was backed up to the wall. Akuzo put his hands on either side of her head, both lit with flame. He was breathing heavily. "I should never win a fight against you." he said to her. "Not in a million years. You're too good and for me to actually beat you…something has to be wrong." Azula said nothing, just turned her head to the side in shame. In retrospect, there was so much she could have done to prevent this. But now…

"Tell me, 'Zula."

"Don't call me that." she said softly. Akuzo arched an eyebrow. She smiled. "I guess I'm just nervous about what's his name." There was no way the captain would hear the humiliating story about her nickname, so she might as well tell him what was wrong.

He nodded, backing up to give her room to breathe. "So am I." He grabbed his towel from a steel bench along the wall, throwing Azula hers.

And of course neither of them saw who was spying on them, but if they'd listened close enough, they would have heard the annoying scratching noise of a pen on paper.

o0oOo0o

Just as Sokka was about to eat the last fish, Zuko came into the campsite. The water tribe boy offered the food to the firebender, who took it without a word. He took a seat next to Sokka and Momo scurried into the ex-prince's lap. The lemur had taken a quick liking to the new boy in the group, even if he was a little angry sometimes.

"No luck finding him." Zuko said, even though that much was already obvious. Sokka sighed, looking at the ground. What had happened to the Avatar?

o0oOo0o

I wandered off toward the lake, figuring Aang might be practicing his waterbending. Sure enough, there he was. But contrary to my belief, the Avatar sat in the sand near the water with his knees hugged to his chest. In an instant, it was clear something was wrong. I made my way down the sand slowly and quietly. The tension around my friend seemed so thick I could cut it with a water whip. I laid a hand on his shoulder, but before I even made it there, he spoke.

"I don't want to talk about it, Katara." His voice was so broken. I sat next to him anyway and rested my hands on my knees.

"Are you sure? You can tell me anything."

"No," the boy said, "I can't." My hand recoiled. What had he just said? Didn't he trust me?

"Why not?"

Finally, Aang looked up, watering gray eyes hardening. "I just can't!" I stared at my friend in disbelief. He had always been one to tell you what he was feeling and he never got angry at you for trying to help. Biting my lip, I looked out over the water. "Katara?" Now he was calm.

"Yes?"

"Have you ever liked someone? Like more than a friend?" The airbender drew circles in the sand with his finger. He didn't look at me.

"I'm fourteen. Of course I have." I replied with a laugh. Aang looked up, a blush on his cheeks. This threw me off a bit, but I didn't show it.

"And have you ever kissed someone?"

I gave a nod in reply to his brave question. "Why do you ask?" Why was he asking about my love life? Suddenly, I realized what he was doing. Aang was trying to tell me he had a crush on me! What was I supposed to do?

"Well, I like this girl…" Aang twiddled his fingers, looking away. "But I don't know if I should tell her or not." He swallowed a lump in his throat. "I mean, I think she already knows, but I just want to be sure." All I could think was: _You kissed me! I think I know already!_

"Just wait for the right moment to tell her." I replied nervously. The Avatar didn't seem to sense it. Suddenly, I stood. "I'm going back to camp. Sokka probably burned the tent down from cooking this morning." My laugh seemed nervous. That was a lie and I knew it. I just wanted an excuse to get out of this awkward situation before Aang told me about his feelings. Taking a few steps, I thought I was home free.

Wrong again. From behind, Aang grabbed my hand to spin me around. "Katara, I…"

Lucky for me, that exact second was the one Zuko decided to show up. "Aang!" he exclaimed from the trees. The Avatar dropped my hand, wide eyed. The firebender made his way down the beach. "We should get some training done. Sokka said he'd pack up camp. I could have hugged Zuko right then and there. His timing was amazing.

The Avatar nodded, saying he'd be right back. He vanished into the shadows of the trees and left Zuko and I alone. "You have no idea how good you're timing is." I told him with a wide smile. "If you hadn't come right then, Aang was going to spill his feelings about me." Zuko shook his head.

"You're three years older than him." The way he said it so flatly made me laugh. "What? You are." I only laughed harder.

o0oOo0o

By the time we'd packed up camp, Zuko and Aang were walking into the small clearing, sweat covering their bare torsos. Aang collapsed on Appa's furry head, breathing hard. His firebending teacher said something about breathing techniques and the boy's breathing slowed. We all climbed on Appa, who groaned. "Thank you for choosing Appa Air." Sokka said. "We're going to have a great flight today. The skies are clear, the sun is shining--"

My brother got a bag thrown in his face thanks to Zuko. Sokka glared daggers at the ex-prince who only smirked in triumph. Aang laughed from the front and we took off with his signature "Yip-yip."

Sokka was right. The skies were amazingly clear. It was hard to tell where the sky ended and the ocean began. One word said it all: beautiful. The wind was cool and refreshing and the sun wasn't too hot. Momo was definitely enjoying it. He laid on the saddle, ears swaying in the wind. I smiled, leaning back to rest. I'm sad to say it was short lived. My idiot brother was crawling around the saddle after Momo, claiming the lemur had stolen his peach. I cracked an annoyed blue eye open.

"Get another peach from the bag, Sokka!" I said. You would figure my brother would take the peach and eat it. You'd be mistaken. He used it to try to coax Momo into giving up the first peach. I shook my head as the lemur snatched the second peach and continued his little game of keep away. Aang laughed from his place.

It was short lived. "Ship!" Zuko exclaimed from the back. Three heads (four including Momo) whipped around. We all looked down into the ocean to see a steel Fire Nation ship right on our tail. I swallowed hard. There were no clouds to shield us from view.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: You just have to love my right out of the blue plot twists. Good times…good times…**

**Review!**


	25. Discoveries

**A/N: Does happy dance It took me forever to decide on the course of this chapter, but I finally got it. Sorry my fight scene chapters are a little on the short side, but that's just how it is. I hope you enjoy it!**

o0oOo0o

"Azula." Zuko whispered, just loud enough to hear. We all sat there for a moment, frozen with fear and anxiety. Then Sokka asked the question everyone had wanted to ask.

"How'd she catch up to us?" My brother was hysterical. His blue eyes were wide and his hands flew to his head. He pulled out his wolf tail in his anxiety, letting his hair fall to his eyes. "We're dead." he said simply. "We're going to die."

"Calm down." Zuko shot back. "Just steer the bison back over their path."

"What?" It was more of an exclamation than a question. Sokka was going to bubble over with adrenaline at that rate. "Why can't we just do what we did before?" Zuko turned, shooting the water tribe boy a look as if to ask _'how stupid are you?'_

"The plan from before won't work because there aren't any clouds to cover us."

It was then that Aang chose to speak up. "Zuko, I think we should keep going on our path. We can fly over land and lose them." I could already sense the oncoming conflict and it read disaster.

"Aang, the way we're going, they have a direct shot at us with the catapult. If we double back on them, they need to turn around to shoot at us. That gives us time to evade them." It was obvious Zuko had a better plan and much more experience. He'd been on a Fire Nation ship for nearly three years; he knew their faults much better than any of us. But it was clear the Avatar wasn't giving up.

"Once we turn around, they'll have time to turn around too. We've got at least three hundred yards on them." Aang argued. I had to admit, he had a point.

"We've got about two hundred fifty yards." Zuko corrected, pointing over the edge. "And right now they're between the land and a sandbar. It'll make up for the space between us since it'll be hard for them to turn around." Aang's eyes narrowed as he glared at his firebending teacher. Why wasn't the Avatar giving in? Why wasn't he listening to Zuko?

o0oOo0o

Azula was looking over her map after she had added another red dot to it. There was a small island with neat calligraphy underneath it: _Kinko Island. _There were several other red dots littered up and down the coast. Select areas had them closely bunched together while others were more spaced apart. The princess's eyes narrowed. Why was this so?

She racked her brain trying to remember what had happened that week with all the red marks. Her crew had to make several stops that week. Once was for supplies, another for repairs, and another for lost supplies from the encounter with the Avatar. The stops were one hundred miles apart, roughly. The firebender picked up her ruler, measuring between other red marks that had been dated. Sure enough, those that were four days apart had about four hundred miles between them. Azula smirked as she stood with her map, making her way out of the room.

The princess couldn't help but smile at her discovery. So the bison traveled a hundred miles a day? Already, the gears in her mind were turning, calculating days, distance, and in the back of her mind, a plan. As the girl rounded the corner, she was nearly run into by a soldier.

The young man skidded to a halt, apologizing. "But, Princess Azula, I have news." he said, huffing. Apparently, it was big. "The Avatar has been spotted. The helmsman and captain--" Before the soldier even got the rest of his sentence out, Azula was off at a sprint, calling a short thank you over her shoulder. The young man blinked. Since when had the princess ever said that?

Azula threw open the door to the steering room without warning. "What's happening?" Akuzo and the helmsman, Kuzi, looked up. The princess vaguely noticed Hurun was sitting at the table, calmly drinking tea as he looked over his notes to the Fire Lord.

"The Avatar is within range of the catapults." Akuzo replied. "They have not tried any evasive maneuvers, so we don't think they have spotted the ship. What do you wish to do?"

Azula narrowed her golden eyes in thought. She took a deep breath as she weighed her options. They were in range of the catapults but they wouldn't be for long. That furry beast was faster than the ship and the princess knew it. And as she thought, more and more options flooded her mind. Looking toward the two young men, she said something she never thought she would.

"What do you think would work?"

Hurun couldn't help but spit his tea out, sputtering. Kuzi stared wide eyed while Akuzo's mouth dropped. The captain was the first to regain his composure. "We could wait until we have a better shot. It seems they haven't spotted us yet."

"I just don't want the Avatar bending water again." Azula said. "That will put us at another stand-still." The gears were still turning, powered by adrenaline.

"Princess, may I suggest something?" Kuzi asked, holding up a finger. Ever since he'd been punished by the fiery girl, he had learned to be very cautious and respectful around her. The princess nodded. "We could fall behind to the horizon so they are always within sight. When they land, they'll make camp. That's when we can move in." Azula said nothing, only thinking harder.

Akuzo busied himself with looking over a map. He ushered his secret girlfriend over, pointing to it. "We're here, right between the coast and that sandbar." Azula nodded, seeing that the sandbar went on for several hundred yards. She assumed it was once an island but the water level rose. "It might be an advantage. It could make it harder for the Avatar to bend water since we're located in something like a channel." Azula smiled slyly as she figured out her plan.

o0oOo0o

"Why aren't they attacking us?" Sokka asked, halting the heated argument between Zuko and Aang. We all looked over the edge of the saddle. The foreboding ship was just as close as before and it seemed to be picking up speed. Zuko shook his head.

"They're getting a better range." The firebender turned to Aang. "Unless you want to be roasted alive, turn around now!"

"I still--"

I cut the Avatar off. I was tired of him being so stubborn and I was going to speak up. "Aang, Zuko has more experience with this sort of stuff. He knows the faults of the ships and with your plan, we're going to need to hurry if we want to get away." My friend looked at me with anger in his eyes, but it dissolved to something like sadness. He took his seat on Appa's head, ready to say the magic words.

He never got the chance.

"Fireball!" Zuko yelled from the back. The Avatar leapt up while my brother scrambled to Appa's head. Pry, push, kick. The movements were much easier for them now and they were faster. A giant splash erupted on the surface of the water as the rock collided with it. The fire from the projectile was sent flying back to the ship, but it was knocked away.

I stood between the two boys, pushing and pulling the water. It wasn't going high enough to come over the edge of the ship. "The sandbar is in the way!" I told them. Aang took a position next to me as Zuko pried more flames from another rock. The Avatar kicked it into the ocean and continued to help me with the water. We weren't having much luck.

o0oOo0o

Azula smiled as she watched little more than a bucketful of water come over the edge of the ship. She silently thanked Agni for that sandbar. It was aiding her in her plan greatly. Akuzo was lighting the projectiles while Kuzi brought the princess her spy glass.

The princess was still beaming when she picked up the tube, bringing it to her eye. Her face fell as she saw three figures standing on the bison. The Avatar and a girl were both looking as though they were waterbending. With each of their movements, a little more water came over the edge of the ship. This wasn't what bothered the princess. Next to them was a young man. A firebender. Her brother.

She dropped the spy glass, the glass shattering.

o0oOo0o

"Aang!" I yelled. "Bend the sandbar!"

"I'm not good with sand!" he yelled back, kicking another rock into the ocean.

"Do it!" Zuko yelled, throwing a fireball back to the ship. I watched as Aang tried to bend the sand from so far away. The light color was fading ever so slowly under the water, but only in a certain spot. It was up ahead of the ship.

Zuko pried more fire away from yet another rock, holding it until Aang kicked said rock into the ocean. The firebender then split the ball of flam in two, giving the Avatar half of it. "Wait." Zuko said. I could see he was waiting for the moment all three of us could attack at once. The weak spot in the sandbar was coming up… "NOW!" They both sent out the flames while I brought up a wave. Once he'd launched the fire, Aang helped me.

There wasn't nearly as much water as before, but I did see at least five dots littering the water. I felt Appa lurch as my brother spoke. "Hold on! I'm turning Appa around!" The three of us fell, holding tight to the saddle as my insane brother turned us around in no time flat.

o0oOo0o

"What the hell are they doing?" Azula yelled to no one, dripping wet. Akuzo was right beside her, looking up at the furry beast that had turned around. The captain jumped up, redirecting the twin balls of fire headed their way. They flew back toward the Avatar's giant pet as he ordered what was left of the crew to load all of the catapults. He lit them and ordered them to launch. The princess stayed on the metal floor, staring up at the monster with unwavering eyes. They were so close she could see them. Zuko pulled the fire away from the projectiles while the Avatar pushed the rocks back into the ocean. They came dangerously close to hitting the ship.

Azula's eyes narrowed. They'd need to turn around to follow them. "Kuzi!" she yelled. "Turn us around!" The princess ran to the back of the ship, followed by Akuzo. Her plan was ruined now but she would not let them escape. She readied her lightning while the captain did the same with fire. They launched their dangerous attacks at the same time.

The lightning was dodged while Zuko shot the fire back at the two, sending them backward. The princess glared daggers up at her brother. "YOU'LL PAY, ZUZU!" She screamed even louder when her brother gave a mocking thumbs-up.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: I'm glad I finally got another attack from Azula in there. It's not as good as the first, but it's a little different. You'll find out what she was planning in the next chapter, promise. That just seemed like the perfect place to end it…**

**grins**

**I hope you enjoyed it!**

**REVIEW!**


	26. Teacher and Kiss

**A/N: Hey! I updated really fast! I want to get a couple chapters in. I'm going to be busy next week…**

O0oOo0o

Azula sighed heavily as she collapsed on the couch in her private living room. A de-armored Akuzo was there, staring blankly at her trusty map. It had taken them forever to get out of the jam they were in.

Several rocks had littered the water where the battle had been, making it even harder to escape their channel-like prison. Kuzi had tried maneuvering around them, but he had stopped, saying that even if they did get by, the rocks would damage the vessel, maybe even spring a leak. After they had retrieved the helmsman from the water (Azula couldn't help herself), she asked him what they could possibly do. So, after using the smaller boats stored below in the massive storage space, the bothersome obstructions were located and pulled away. The boats were loaded into the ship and they began their two minute journey to the end of the gigantic sandbar.

Of course, by that time, the Avatar and his giant beast were nowhere to be seen.

The princess had been beyond angry. Leave it to the Avatar and his clever friends to come up with a plan to foil her own. She had decided to use a combination of Akuzo's and Kuzi's plans. She would attack when the bison was in range to tire them out. The ship would eventually fall behind, gradually slowing speed so that they would not seem too suspicious. Then the ship would follow at the horizon and wait for the Avatar to land. Or not.

"I can't believe they turned around." Azula said, stretching out on the cushiony maroon couch. Her head was within inches of her boyfriend's lap. He nodded, still looking at the map.

"Me either. If the catapults could have launched a few seconds later, they would have been right over us and they wouldn't have been able to do anything about it." He absently stroked her hair as he leaned back with the map.

"Don't say that. I'll throw you overboard." she joked, closing her eyes. "I could have strangled someone when I found out Zuzu was with them." That made the captain look at her, but questioningly. "Zuko." Akuzo's eyes widened.

"He's with them?"

The princess nodded. "I didn't even know. That girl back on Kinko Island didn't say he had a scar. How could she leave that out?"

Akuzo watched the princess as she talked. She wasn't looking back at him. "Azula?" She looked up. "Can I ask you why you changed your mind about taking that girl's mother prisoner?"

"Oh." Azula adverted her eyes. "I…" It was obvious she was searching for words.

"I didn't think it was for the information." Akuzo replied with a small smile.

"I just imagined your mother and sister in that situation..." Azula stared at the flickering candle that sat on the coffee table. _'I'm so weak… _she thought. The captain smiled and took the princess's hand. He didn't seem to think so. She cared about what became of that little girl, even if she was from the Earth Kingdom.

o0oOo0o

The morning after the encounter with the temperamental princess, we were still flying and we hadn't stopped yet. Sokka kept bugging Aang about stopping. I was on my last nerve.

"Aang, I really have to pee!" Sokka yelled, holding himself. I shook my head, looking away. Why was my brother so embarrassing? He was acting like the five year old back in our village! The Avatar let out an agitated sigh as a tired Appa descended into a clearing in the woods. Sokka leapt off before the bison even touched the grass-covered ground, running into the shadows of the trees. I rolled my eyes, walking off in a different direction.

We were all back on Appa in a matter of minutes, eating the few over-ripe fruits we had left.

A few hours before noon, we were over Kinko Island. Aang sat rigid. "Do you think we should check up on Sakari?" he asked. "Just to make sure she's okay?" The rest of us spared one another glances, but no one said anything. Finally, I spoke up.

"If it's quick." I was surprised at how quiet my voice was and I cleared my throat. "Then we should go over the mainland so Azula can't catch us." Stopping didn't seem like the brightest idea to me. Azula was undoubtedly persistant; she'd tried everything to knock us out of the sky. She'd be right back on our tails in no time unless we traveled over the mainland.

"She'll have some sort of animal to ride on land." Zuko warned as Aang landed eagerly. I gulped. So much for my idea being safe. At least she wouldn't have her stupid catapults to masacre us with.

We landed, leaving Appa near the forest. As we made our way through the small village, the townspeople were quiet as we walked by them. Their eyes dazed with a far-off look. Something bad had happened since we'd been here; I could tell. They smiled when they saw us, but know one spoke to any of us. It felt as though someone had dropped a rock in the pit of my stomach. Just two days ago, this town had been full of happy, smiling people with emotional, sparkling eyes where children ran about. But it had changed.

We made it to Sakari's and Aang knocked on the door, fidgeting in his place. He'd seen the changes too; I was sure of it. Zuko shifted his weight and looked down at me with a reassuring look. How the firebender could tell I needed that was a mystery to me. The door opened to reveal a smiling Sakari. I couldn't help but notice she had a few bruises on her face and wondered what they were from.

"Back so soon?"

"We just wanted to be sure you were alright." Aang replied.

The shopkeeper nodded and stepped aside to let us in. The Avatar led the way, even though I told him it had to be a short visit. I told myself he was doing it to be polite. "Yes, we're fine. But Aang, you should know what happened after you left." The boy gave a puzzled look as the woman gestured to the table. Sue Lee was sitting there, drinking tea. When she saw Aang, she quickly looked away. We all took a seat and Sakari brought out more teacups.

"The man that came said he was on a mission for the Fire Lord." Sakari began, passing around filled cups. Zuko caught my eye. That had been his assumption all along. "I thought he might be starting an invasion." Aang's gray eyes filled with immeasurable horror. There was a twinkle of guilt in there too, I was sure. He thought it was his fault.

"So when I gave him tea…I poisoned it." Sakari looked down at the table as the rest of us sat wide-eyed. How could such a cheerful woman do that to someone? "I just wanted to protect my daughter. I never want her to live with such horror." That made it more understandable. No one would want their children to live their lives in fear.

"When he sipped the tea, he tasted the poison." The woman took in a shaky breath. "He didn't drink any more of it and beat me." Aang clenched his fists, closing his tearing eyes. "But the poison kicked in and he passed out." Sue Lee tightened the grip on her cup, staring into her drink.

"But the next morning, I woke up when someone pulled me from my house. It was a Fire Nation soldier that was holding me. He didn't drag me, just pushed me along. There was a girl at the center of town. She called the man Akuzo." Everyone there knew the shopkeeper was talking about Azula. Sakari looked up at us all with worry clear in her green eyes. "The girl was after all of you. She's the princess of the Fire Nation."

"She's been after us for a while. I'm sorry she came here." Zuko replied, looking down. It was clear he was ashamed of his younger sister.

"Then," Sakari wracked with another sob, "Another man came in dragging Sue Lee." Sokka clenched his fists. An enemy soldier had nearly dragged me away during the Fire Nation raid back at home. The situation brought back horrible memories. Finally, the woman could no longer continue with her story. She had collapsed into hysterical tears. Aang laid a hand on her shoulder while Sue Lee continued.

"The princess asked me what I knew about the Avatar." The girl swallowed as she looked up. It seemed like she fought to do so. "I cursed at her and…earthbended a rock at her." Zuko's eyes widened. Anyone that attacked his sister usually got fried to a crisp in an instant.

"You're an earthbender?" Aang asked.

The girl nodded, eyes watering. "She…" She swallowed. "She told one of the soldiers to take my mother away. I…I had to find a way to talk her out of it. Aang, I'm sorry." The Avatar watched Sue Lee with a daze in his eyes. "I told her everything I knew." Sokka blinked, staring at the girl.

"But I'll do anything to make it up to you." Sue Lee said quickly, hands laced. "I would be honored to be your earthbending teacher." Five pairs of eyes stared at the girl unblinkingly.

"Sue Lee, I am not losing you too!" Sakari yelled, standing up. Her daughter did the same.

"Mom, I betrayed the Avatar! He needs an earthbending teacher and I can help!" Sakari shook her head but Sue Lee did not back down. "You let Renku go!" she yelled, green eyes determined.

"Renku is eighteen! You're twelve!"

"I'm an earthbender!"

"I won't let you go!"

"Mom." Everyone was calm at how soft the girl's voice had become. "The fate of the world lies in the hands of the Avatar. He needs a teacher. What if he can't find a master? Mom, I can help him save the world!"

"You're only twelve!" Sakari cried, desperate. The girl was putting up a really challenging argument.

"Mom, think about what happened yesterday. I'm sure there are parents who have been taken away from their kids. What about them? As long as this war is going on, it is always a possibility. By not letting me go, you could deny a hundred other children the love of their mothers and fathers. Do you want to do that?"

"Sue Lee, you could die out there."

"I'd rather die than see hundreds of others die because of this war."

Words and silence collided. The rest of us spared each other glances as Sakari stared down at the table.

Taking a shaky breath, she spoke. "If you're sure about this."

o0oOo0o

Azula and Akuzo talked late into the night. At first, it had been about the Avatar situation and the war, but it eventually wandered to lighter topics like books and festivals. Neither remembered how they ended up cuddling on the couch, but it happened. The most amazing part was how they could keep talking without blushing about their positions. The princess had removed her bothersome hairpiece and wrapped her arms around the captain's neck while he held onto the curve of her waist. He was secretly surprised at her figure since her body was so hidden in her usual attire.

"I like the pastries they come out with at festivals." Akuzo said. Azula laughed.

"You really like food, don't you?"

"I do but I'm not one of those boys that eat all the time, if that's what you're asking."

The girl smiled, snuggling closer into her sweetheart's chest. They were silent as she listened to the steady pump of his beating heart. She could feel the rise and fall of his strong chest as he ran his fingers through her silky hair. Now they were just simply Azula and Akuzo. They didn't have to be anyone special or do anything important. They could be themselves.

Akuzo bent down, kissing the top of Azula's head. She looked up with her chin resting just below his collarbone. He bent just a bit closer and she followed his actions. Slowly but surely, their lips came together in a tender kiss. He was brave enough to deepen it. Azula was glad he had taken the lead; she'd never kissed someone before. The warmth was amazing and they loved it. It just felt so…right.

Once again, they failed to realize they were being watched.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: It took them twenty-six chapters, but they did it! Leave it to the freak to be watching them. Wait until Azula finds out. Barbecue!**


	27. Plans and a Bad Day

I woke soon after sunrise, blinking against the new golden rays of sunlight. Wincing, I shifted my position. We had flown through the night and Appa was holding up extremely well. I did notice, however, that the loyal bison was loosing energy. I stood, careful not to fall. My joints were sore from the saddle.

I landed Appa in a clearing near a long mountain range. Though the landing was smooth, it did cause one person to wake up.

Zuko looked at me through one eye, leaving the other closed. He sighed and stood to stretch. He gave me a smile before hopping off the now sleeping Appa and helping be down. "How long have you been up?" he whispered, pulling a few packs from the saddle. I joined him in helping unpack.

"Not long."

My bag dropped to the ground, making me wince. The landing had been noisier than I had guessed. My gaze shot over to my friends. Aang and Sokka snored loudly while Sue Lee merely turned over. Zuko and I exchanged 'that was close' glances. A smile danced across my face as we moved deeper into the wide clearing to unpack.

By the time camp was set up, the others still weren't awake. Shrugging it off was easy; we'd had a late night. Even Momo was still sleeping away with little snores that sounded like chirps. I suppressed a laugh before going to tell Zuko the news.

"What should we do until they wake up?" the firebender inquired. He sat at the base of a flourishing tree, ankles crossed over one another. The look in his eyes when he looked up at me made my heart flutter. I shrugged. Taking a seat at an adjacent tree, I imitated his position, even trying to put on one of his passive faces. He glared at me, eyes narrowing to slits. I copied him but I could hardly see. Instead, I crossed my eyes and stuck out my tongue. All he did was shake his head.

"What did you have in mind?"

"What?" The way he arched his eyebrows was so cute. It made him look younger… Forcing my teen heart and mind to stay on focus, I replied.

"I mean what did you want to do until everyone wakes up?"

He gave a shrug. "I don't know. I was sort of hoping you had something in mind."

"Nope."

"So we're just going to sit here?"

"Unless we think of something." I answered. Zuko sighed, causing his shoulders to roll. Two minutes of silence passed before he looked up and caught my gaze.

"Want to go for a walk?"

o0oOo0o

Azula sat in her study, deep in concentration. She was, yet again, pouring and scouring over maps. She had to capture her brother and return home before her father got even more aggravated. In the back of her mind, a little voice was pushing forward. _"Why didn't he hire someone to catch Zuko?" _The princess blinked then scowled. Her conscience could be so agitating sometimes. And yes, Princess Azula did have a conscience. But as the fifteen year old tried to push the voice back, she began to ponder its question.

It was a good one indeed. Why _didn't _her father hire someone to catch Zuko and her uncle? Why did she have to go?

"_He wants you to prove your worth." _Great. Her oh-so-wise conscience again.

'_He already knows my worth.' _Oh, so now she was arguing with herself?

"_Then why are you here?"_

'_He is putting me to the test--'_

"_Isn't a test proving your worth?"_

Azula slammed her golden eyes shut and her hand flew to her head. Her father was just doing what he thought was best. He only wanted the best person for the job. That was all. She tried to convince herself that she shouldn't look into it any further; the Fire Lord was her father and what he said was law. Though she was a princess, he still ranked above her.

Still, her conscience would not rest.

o0oOo0o

Zuko and I walked through the forest quietly. The birds around us were chirping cheerfully and the day was bright and clear. I couldn't help but hold his hand a little tighter. The small action didn't go unnoticed by the fugitive prince. He pulled me closer, wrapping an arm around my waist. A warm, contented smile spread across my face as I looked at the ground.

Up ahead, a faint gurgling caught my attention. I suddenly escaped Zuko's grasp and ran ahead towards a thicket of trees. The firebender ran after me. "Katara, what are you doing?" he exclaimed. As we burst through the thicket, he got his answer. A lake—one of the largest I'd ever seen—sat before us, its water sparkling in the sunlight. My expression must have been pretty funny because Zuko burst out laughing. Turning, I arched a curious brow.

"What?" I asked.

"You should have seen your face!" I rolled my eyes. "Seriously!" he said. "Your eyes were huge and I think Appa could have flown into your mouth!" I huffed, pushing the firebender to the side without looking. He stumbled and nearly fell into the water. He looked up, surprised.

I laughed. "You should have seen your face!" I mocked. "Your eyebrows could have reached the sky. I smiled.

He put up his hands in defeat. "Okay. I deserved that. But you deserve this!" Before I could react, Zuko had stepped forward, hands still raised, and shoved me. I fell into the cold water with a splash and came up sputtering in protest more than lack of air. The firebender was crouching at the water's edge when I swam up to it (the bank was very steep). He smiled and tucked a stray bit of hair behind my ear. "How's the water?"

This time, it was his turn. I grabbed his arms and pulled. He toppled into the water along with me, submerging us both. Coming up, the young man spit a stream of water at me. I just stood there and took it, turning to him when he was done. A smile covered half his face. "Thanks." I said sarcastically. "Thanks. I just love being spit at." Our eyes met and I couldn't fight back a smile any longer.

o0oOo0o

She found him in the training room, hard at work. He was deep in concentration. The flames burst forth from his hands, spiraling into the steel wall. She spoke up. "Akuzo," she said, "I hate to bother you…" The young man turned to face the girl at the doorway.

"What do you need, Azula?" Akuzo asked, tentatively stepping forward. He pulled a towel off a rail on his way over and wiped his sweaty face. The princess showed him the map she had been documenting the Avatar's travels on.

"The Avatar's friends can only travel one hundred miles on their bison in one day." the girl began. The captain nodded as he led his sweetheart over to a bench. Once seated, he took the map in his hands, looking over the travel pattern. "By cutting across the land here," she said, pointing, "We'll be able to intercept them here." She pointed again, this time to the area of a small city. Akuzo eyed the map critically, brows furrowed in thought.

"Isn't this one of the Earth Kingdom cities with the nobles? The Bei-Fongs or something like that?" Azula looked up and gave a shrug.

"I was only worried about my brother and the Avatar." The princess certainly didn't care if Earth Kingdom nobles were in that city; all she cared about was the Avatar. "But I'll need a small team to cross that bit of land. Riu and two other soldiers are packing their things now. Will you come with us?" Akuzo took a moment to pretend he was actually mulling over the offer.

"Of course." he replied, only after being elbowed by his girlfriend. "But what about Hurun? Is he tagging along?" Azula made to exit the training room, the captain close at her heels. She looked back at him until he fell into step.

"I haven't told him about my plans yet. Seeing as he is my father's scribe, I think he will." Azula led the way down the corridor on the right, knocking on the third door. It was opened quickly to reveal a very agitated-looking scribe. He quickly changed his expression, however, when he realized who was knocking. The man bowed deeply and plastered what could only be described as a fake smile on his face.

"My princess. How are you this fine morning?"

"Busy." Azula said flatly, examining her cat-like nails. It took all Hurun had to suppress a shudder. "But Akuzo, I, and three crew members are heading for land to cut the Avatar off in three days time. If you would like to join us as you are here for a purpose, the offer stands."

Hurun nodded, mentally noting how formal the princess was around him. "Yes, I will come along."

"Very well." the princess said, looking up. "Have your bag packed and be up on deck in one hour. We will be docking then." The scribe gave another respectful nod and bow.

"Yes, princess."

Hurun watched the princess depart, flanked at her side by her not-so-secret boyfriend. She really had no clue.

o0oOo0o

Once the day started rolling, there was no stopping it. While setting up a fire pit, Sokka had failed to take into account the distance a spark could jump. Let's just say that after that little incident, we were down one sleeping bag. Two if you counted the in the first encounter with Azula. Disaster number two was not far behind as my stupid brother caught his shirt sleeve on fire. Half a shirt and a minor burn later…

A platypus-bear ate our food. _"Well, that wasn't a big deal," _I'd reasoned. _"I'll just find something in the forest." _I'll keep this one short, sweet, and to the point: brambles, berries, and hives. Try to figure it out.

Zuko had been the one to come up with the idea of fishing. Let me say this: Don't let the guy fish unless you want to starve. He came back with a big, long stick with a minnow pierced on the end, which Momo promptly ate. My brother collapsed on the ground screaming about the lemur killing us all.

Aang not being able to earthbend was the least of our problems.

o0oOo0o

Iroh sat quietly in his cell, trying to count how many days he'd been there. It must have been a lot because his stomach had shrunk significantly. The ex-general sighed. What did it matter now? He might as well face the fact that Azula was too good to make a mistake that could lead him to freedom. She would never slip up just enough for him to escape. He would never see his nephew again. At this thought, the firebender swallowed hard, pushing back burning tears in his eyes. Zuko was strong and was capable of taking care of himself; Iroh would not cry over him. The man sighed. No matter how well-off his beloved nephew would be, it did not take away the pain.

Just as the Dragon of the West regained his composure, the door to the prison hold burst open. In came Azula, cup of tea in hand. She was staring at it intently as she hurried along. She was careful not to spill it. Pulling the keys to the cell from her belt, she unlocked the door, placing the cup of tea on her uncle's small table.

Iroh narrowed his eyes. Something was going on. His fiery niece wasn't glaring at him, insulting him, or spiting him. In fact, she was silent and her face was relaxed. The man silently thanked Agni for the captain. That boy was changing her and judging from what Iroh had seen, for the better.

The princess stared down at her uncle, a small smirk twisting at her lips. So it was a smirk. It wasn't a full-out maniacal grin. "I'll have you know that you will soon be reunited with your precious nephew." she informed. This made Iroh falter. "Along with the Avatar. It seems Zuzu is teaching him firebending." The old man's eyes widened and his heart filled with pride.

The prince's turmoil? What turmoil?

Just then, an armored crew member leaned in the door. "Azula! We're docking." The princess nodded, dashing out of the prison hold without so much as a goodbye to her uncle. She must have been in a hurry.

But Iroh didn't mind. She'd left him more than enough to make up for it. And he didn't just mean the tea.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Yay! Sorry for the slow update, again. I've just been busy. Anyway, if you want to better understand Azula's plan, look at the map of the Avatar world on the site. The area she's going to is in the "Blind Bandit" episode. **

**Review!**


	28. Hives, a Trip, and an Escape

**Read!**

o0oOo0o

Aang stomped on the ground with fierce determination as hot as fire in his eyes. This marked what had to be his millionth attempt at earthbending in the past forty-eight hours. Tension weighed heavy in the thick air. No one spoke. What did the Avatar get? Nothing. Lifting up a rock wall was still too challenging yet. Sue Lee growled in frustration and pulled at her long brown tresses. The girl was growing tired of the Avatar's fruitless attempts; she wanted results. The fact that she had itchy hives from the berries yesterday certainly didn't help her snippy mood.

Actually, no one was faring well about those poison berries. Though I'd apologized several times, my brother still criticized my judgment. "Uh!" he yelled from across the fire pit, "I'm so ITCHY!" The water tribe warrior was scratching his arm viciously, a tiny stream of blood trickling from one of the abrasions. He was bright red all over to begin with, seeing as he'd eaten the most, but the scratching only irritated his skin even further. If Sokka kept on with his scratching, someone might have actually mistaken him as a tomato.

"And it's so HOT!" Sokka moaned. He fell on his side in the dirt, blue eyes closed. He suddenly lifted his arm to scratch yet again. "Katara, why'd you pick those berries?" he exclaimed. I could have roasted him alive if I were a firebender. He was being so aggravating!

"I already told you I'm sorry! I didn't know they'd give us all hives!" I shot back. From the base of his tree, Zuko sighed heavily while my brother and I continued our heated argument. Even Appa seemed to grow weary of our banter. The heat was bad enough.

"You're such a wimp!"

"You gave me hives!"

"I said I was sorry!"

"You still gave me hives!"

"I gave you berries and the berries gave you hives! Stop being so accusing!"

"Stop picking berries that give us all hives! Because of you, Aang can't focus on his bending!" What? I was getting blamed for Aang's unsuccessful attempts at earthbending now? It wasn't my fault! Aang hadn't been able to do any new earthbending moves yesterday either!

"Why do I get blamed for everything around here?" I snapped. We were up close and personal now, noses within inches of each other's. Anger and determination shown in our eyes and neither of us would back down.

It was then that Zuko chose to step in. He pushed us both apart, glaring at my brother. "She said she was sorry so that should be enough. She knows what you're going through, too. We all do. But you should really stop your whining and try to forget about the hives. It only makes you itch more if you think about it." I couldn't see my boyfriend's face, but I could tell Sokka didn't like it one bit. The firebender looked at us again and walked away, rolling his eyes.

I looked back at my brother, making a face. He'd gotten off easy from what I would have done to him.

"Maybe if I went at it from a different angle…or try a different technique…" Aang was saying, sticking his tongue out, gray eyes narrowed in concentration. Sue Lee huffed and walked away wordlessly. We all watched as the Avatar shuffled around a small spot (which was the size of his foot). He stuck his thumb out for aim. He moved farther to the left and scratched the back of his neck absently. Finally, he got in position and punched hard toward the sky.

No luck.

Aang grunted and threw his arms into the air. "Why can't I do this?" he yelled, clenching his fists. This was really getting to him now.

"Aang?" I said soothingly, "How about you take a break for a while? You can try earthbending again later." Sighing, the Avatar came over and joined us all around the dying fire pit. Without talking about it first, we all set to packing up camp.

Sue Lee stood by the pit for a moment, puzzled as she scratched a particularly red hive on her cheek. "Uh, guys? What can I do?"

o0oOo0o

Azula led the trio of dragons at a fast pace, wind whipping at her long bangs. She vaguely heard Hurun shrieking at the back of the group. The scribe, apparently, was terrified of anything repetitious. Hell, the man was afraid of an innocent baby ostrich-horse. The princess couldn't help but smirk as she quickened the pace. He was also afraid of going at extreme speeds.

Akuzo sat behind her, one strong arm looped around her thin waist. He was looking over the map and navigating, making the trip all the more faster. At this rate, it wouldn't take them much longer than a day and a half to reach the town. This was great news to the princess. All was going according to plan.

o0oOo0o

Iroh glanced around, being sure no one was watching him. He was out in the town that Azula's ship had docked at and he had not yet been spotted by the many crewmen. Slipping past the sleeping guards in the prison hold had not been a problem at all. Finding his way to the deck, however, proved difficult. But on the way, Iroh had uncovered several bits of information (eavesdropping could be quite helpful, you know).

Azula had gone onto land with her dear captain, the hated Hurun, and three named simply as crew members. The group was on a mission to cut off the Avatar on a cusp of land jutting from the southern Earth Kingdom. That meant all Iroh had to do was follow them to find his beloved nephew. The man silently left a note to himself: easier said than done. Azula had taken the only three mongoose dragons along on their journey, leaving Iroh to find his own mode of transportation. So far, the man was having no luck. He didn't have any money or food (though his stomach was now filled with a generous amount of tea). All the firebender had were the tattered clothes on his back.

But as he rounded the corner, his luck did a complete turn around. He heard an old gray-haired merchant talking to a man with a big covered wagon sitting in the dirt street.

"Where are you headed?" the bearded merchant asked, handing his customer a giant sack of flour.

"I'm delivering some goods to Gaoling." the man replied, stumbling under the weight of the flour. He was quite scrawny. Iroh smiled to himself. That just happened to be in the area he was going.

o0oOo0o

Around noon, Azula had called for a stop. And stop they did. Once given the order, the mongoose dragons dropped to the ground to bask in the warm sunlight. The loyal reptiles were exhausted, but the princess planned to go farther that day. She had only stopped because Hurun had said something about being hungry. The princess cursed the spoiled man under her breath and earned a quiet chuckle from Rui. He was cursed too.

The small group of five ate their small rations of bread and dried meat quickly. Leave it to Hurun to take forever to eat. Azula was about to tell the damn scribe to hurry up when he suddenly (and unexpectedly) choked on a piece of bread. She smacked her forehead in frustration. Riu moved in, slapping the scribe on the back to dislodge the food.

"Come on, man. Cough it up!" the young man yelled, only hitting Hurun harder. This earned an objection from one of the nameless crewmen.

"Don't hit his back! That'll make it worse!"

"Then what should we do?" a third voice asked, joining the growing mass of confusion.

"There was this thing where you push on their stomach and they spit the food out…"

"You want to _punch _the guy in the stomach?" Riu asked, his brows arched comically high. "Ozai won't like that his personal scribe is being used as our punching bag!" _Not a bad idea… _Azula turned away, shaking her head. They were having a conversation while Hurun lay on the ground, pounding on his stomach and gagging!

"Ozai'll kill us if his scribe dies!"

"Good point. Hey, look, he's doing it to himself."

"Here." Riu said, turning Hurun over. The clueless crewmen brought his hands down on the terrified scribe's stomach—hard. Said scribe gagged again, a piece of bread flying from his mouth to come to a stop on Riu's face. He wiped it away, smiling down at the scribe.

"There. Feel any better?" How clueless could you get?

Hurun promptly punched Riu in the face.

"Are you quite through?" the princess inquired, turning toward them again. Hurun coughed, still catching his breath. He looked up into the sky with his eyes watering. A wavering finger pointed to the south as he choked out a single word. "Look!"

The lot of them turned, expecting to see something along the lines of a killer animal or what Hurun thought was a killer animal…meaning a baby ostrich horse… They were mistaken. The dot was getting smaller and smaller as they all stood there and stared at it. Even from a distance, the thing was recognizable. The Avatar's bison. As if broken from a trance, Azula cried out.

"Why aren't they on the coast?" the enraged girl exclaimed. Had she been a little girl, she would have thrown the biggest fit of the century. Her teeth clenched so tight it hurt. If she could shoot fire from her eyes, the Avatar's bison would have gone down in searing flames. Infuriating. This mission was positively infuriating! "Get to the dragons!" she barked, sprinting to one. The dragon didn't seem too happy that its break was over almost as fast as it had begun. Not that Azula cared.

"They were going on the coastline by the map!" the princess all but yelled. "Why aren't they there now?" Apparently, Azula didn't know the answer, so Akuzo gave her one.

"After we attacked them, they probably altered their course to avoid the ship." Of course! The captain's answer was so obvious once the girl really thought about it. It was so unbelievably simple, so incredibly basic. She should have calculated it. She should have known what they would do. She was the princess of the Fire Nation. She had been trained in all manners of war, in all manners of fighting. She should have been able to foresee and avoid this situation. But the fact was, she hadn't and now there was nothing she could do about it.

"What are your orders, Azula?" Riu asked, bringing his dragon alongside hers. Hurun sat behind the wisecracking crewman, holding onto the saddle for dear life. The princess side glanced the young crewman as another dragon fell into step. Four pairs of eyes stared at her, awaiting her orders. She didn't have any. The firebender looked ahead, up at the furry mass that was the Avatar's bison. Her eyes narrowed. Swallowing a dry lump in her throat, she began.

"We will follow them until they land. Then we will move in." The words stung deep into her heart. Another plan had been foiled but another one was just on the horizon, chasing the Avatar.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Ooooooo. How was it? I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you enjoyed reading it just as much. And just for reference, Toph's town is called Gaoling. Once again, I found that on the site. I love that site… Good times…goooooood times. Anyway, you know the drill!**

**Review!**

**Oh! Just so you know, Azula didn't leave the keys behind to Iroh's cell. She left the door unlocked. Not that it matters...he still got out...**


	29. Changes

As the glowing sun was sinking over the horizon, we finally landed. Everyone was drop-dead tired and every single one of us was guilty of sighing tiredly at least four times apiece. The heat had been scorching that day and in the air, it felt like I was being roasted alive. Sue Lee and Aang both had horribly red sunburns blotched atop their redder hives. Another wave of guilt swept over me. Again, I sighed as I pulled multiple bags off Appa.

We barely even bothered to set up camp. We didn't even eat. We just lay on top of our makeshift beds and drifted off to an uncomfortable sleep without so much as a 'goodnight.'

o0oOo0o

Princess Azula could have thrown up her arms and whooped for joy when she saw the Avatar's bison lower into the forest. Needless to say, she did not. Instead, she began barking orders on what to do. "Riu, approach from the southwest. You," she ordered, pointing to the soldiers riding the third mongoose dragon, "from the southeast. Akuzo and I will launch the attack from the north as soon as we get there, so be ready. Got it?" Nods all around. Then Riu raised his hand.

"Princess, if you don't mind me asking…" The jokester smiled broadly, mischief sparkling in his eyes. "Do you plan on inviting your brother to yours and Akuzo's wedding?"

_Dead silence. _

"_What!" _the princess exclaimed, loud and shrill. Several birds took off from the nearby trees. _"Wh--"_ Azula was silenced when Akuzo's hand flew over her mouth. He put a finger to his lips, eyes darting over towards the Avatar's steed. Slowly, he released her. She took a deep breath before looking at Riu with the calmest face she could muster. "What kind of question is that?"

He shrugged. The young man didn't seem the least bit nervous. "I just thought you two had the hots for each other." It just made Azula cringe to hear how calm the jokester was.

"Why?" Azula asked, face contorting with the question. Was it really that obvious? How had the soldier found out?

"Hey, I see the looks you give each other." The young man raised an accusing finger, trying awfully hard to keep his face straight. "And he's the only one that can call you Azula and get away with it-- accept me because I'm so totally--"

The princess didn't hear the rest of what her crewman had to say. She was more focused on the man that sat behind him. Hurun was bent over a pad of parchment, scrawling away, his eyes wide. He was nodding vigorously as if that helped him remember what he was writing. Azula furiously snatched the pad from the scribe with a flourish and a glare.

"I AM FED UP WITH YOU AND YOUR DAMN NOTES! I CAN'T EVEN GIVE ORDERS WITHOUT YOU--" Again, Akuzo had covered his girlfriend's mouth. She wrenched his hand away, muttering something as she leafed through Hurun's treasured pad. The scribe leaned over in the saddle, flailing to recover his precious notes.

"Your father won't approve of this! He doesn't want you to--"

"'Flirts with the captain each morning?' What is this? How would you know?…" Azula trailed off, scared of the answer. Her normally harsh gold eyes were now wide and disbelieving. "You've been spying on us! You little wretch!" the princess yelled, still skimming through the papers. At this point, Riu shook his head, staring at the scribe. Boy, would he get it. Hurun just sat there quivering, breathing uneven. Ozai had warned him that the only thing more dangerous than his daughter's bending was his daughter's bending when she was angry.

"'First name basis with the captain.', 'Cheerful around captain.', 'Cuddles with the captain.', 'Has been kissed by the captain.'…" Azula looked up, horrified. Riu wisely decided to hop off the dragon (he was still unbelievably calm) and hide behind it with his hands shielding his head. Not a split second later, the fallen scribe lay on the ground, groaning in pain. Still, the livid fifteen year old girl considered a kick to the ribs an easy punishment.

"Come on Riu. We're going." Azula's voice was hard, but her eyes looked glossy with emotion. The captain peered around her to be sure she was alright. Bad idea. The princess let tears fall as she snapped the leather reins. "Hurun can find his own way back to the Fire Nation."

"But princess!" Hurun begged. "I meant no disrespect! It was your…" They could not catch the rest. The light wind had picked up and carried the scribe's words away, even further from the dragons. Without another word, Azula trotted away, back straight without even looking back.

o0oOo0o

I groaned and got up, rubbing my bleary eyes. I was so tired but I couldn't sleep if my life had depended on it. I resisted the strong urge to shout into the starry sky. Why did this insomnia come and go? Why had I tossed and turned for half the night? Sitting up with slumped shoulders, I decided to take a walk.

When I stood, a whisper from a nearby tree caught my attention. "You can't sleep either?" Even in the dark, Zuko's golden eyes cut through the inky black, just like his element. I shook my head as he stood as well, reaching out his hand. I took it without a word and we ventured into the forest, sparing the others a glance. I silently reminded myself we had come from the south. Getting lost in the dark wouldn't be much fun, even if we did have my sweetheart's flame to guide us.

"I've always wondered why I can't sleep some nights." Zuko said quietly. I nodded.

"So do I."

"I'm so tired but my mind just won't slow down."

"What do you think about?" I asked softly, looking over at him. He blinked as if confused.

"What?"

"What do you think about?" I repeated. The firebender shrugged as he looked away. It was no mystery that he was embarrassed. I nudged gently him with my elbow. "It can't be that bad." He stopped walking, making fear bubble in my belly. "Can it?" The smallest bit of worry ebbed into my voice.

"It's just that…"

o0oOo0o

Azula and Akuzo snuck through the thick growth of trees. They had deserted the mongoose dragon; the thing, though fast, was too noticeable. Instead, they were stealthy and unheard as they spied on Azula's traitor brother and the wench of a waterbender.

Their tones were hushed, but Azula's keen hearing pricked to pick up on the quiet conversation. Apparently, neither could sleep. The princess held her breath when she realized the pair was holding hands. Her eyes widened. Surly her banished prince of a brother had not fallen for this peasant. Oh, no. He would be too arrogant. He would say he deserved better.

"It's just that…" Zuko began. He was looking deep into the girl's eyes. Something Azula had never seen before shone in her brother's eyes; something familiar yet different. "I'm just wondering what will happen after the war is over."

"What about it?"

"Just what it'll be like? I mean, I'll be Fire Lord, but what will everyone else do?" The princess nearly snorted. As if her weakling brother could possibly hope to defeat their father. The ex-prince had proved that when he'd gotten that scar. Wait. Azula stared at her older brother, confusion washing over her like a drowning wave. Where was that wretched scar?

It took the waterbender a moment to answer. She seemed to be absorbing everything Zuko had just said. Or trying, at least. The girl looked up at the firebender with emotional blue eyes. "I…" Words failed her. She didn't know what to say. It seemed as if Zuko had written her out of his life. _'I'll be Fire Lord, but what will everyone else do?" _Katara's head spun. He was using her!

But that thought soon evaporated into thin air as warm arms enveloped her in a loving hug. "Will you stay with me?" he asked, voice weak.

Azula's breathing hitched. Her brother was in love with the waterbender? But that wouldn't work. He was royalty (as reluctant as the princess was to admit it) and she was a poor, worthless peasant from the south.

"Yes."

That single word managed to pull Azula back into reality. And that one single word seemed to put all of the heavy weight of the desperate situation on her shoulders. The war. The death. The misery. The love. These things and so much more had suddenly wormed into the princess's brain. She wanted them out, but the more she tried to push the bothersome thoughts away, the more she realized.

The Fire Nation was being torn apart as well.

People were being forced to do horrible things against their will.

Her brother's relationship was not any different from her own.

Azula clenched her teeth as she made her quick decision. She tapped Akuzo on the shoulder. He looked back at her through the darkness, his eyes clouded with emotion. The princess swallowed, pulling on his sleeve. The pair sped away in the safety of the darkness. As they ran, the captain could tell that Azula was changing a lot more than he had originally thought.

o0oOo0o

I felt tears well in my eyes as Zuko's warmth enveloped me. "Yes." I said again. I could hear him swallow as he pulled me closer. Then I felt something wet trickle down the side of my neck. I smiled knowingly and looked at the ground as the firebender pulled away. He'd want to hide his tears from me, even if they were of joy.

o0oOo0o

The morning was scorching. Again. Though it had been several days since the itchy berry incident, Sokka was still complaining and itching. His hives had been the worst out of anyone's, but now they were finally fading. By the next day, he'd be itch free. Finally.

"Then why can't I do this?"

Zuko, Sokka, and I froze. Heavy packed bags hung limp in hands, food stopped halfway to a mouth, and a single wide eye popped open in apprehension. That had been the unmistakable voice of Aang. And he was angry. Not good.

Aang and Sue Lee came into the campsite, both equally angry and sour looking. The Avatar was glaring daggers at his new earthbending teacher, gray eyes glinting dangerously. Sue Lee huffed, hand on her slender hip as she glared at her student. She wasn't going to back down. "How am I supposed to know? It's not my fault you can't learn earthbending." The girl's sassy attitude would get old fast. That was for sure.

Aang stepped forward, staring straight into the earthbender's. "Maybe you're just not a good enough teacher." he challenged, standing two inches taller than Sue Lee. Sokka let the soup on his spoon fall off, plopping back into his bowl with a small splash. Sue Lee's eyes faltered for a moment, but she stood her ground. I could tell this was going to end horribly. But Aang was just worried about Azula finding us. Once he calmed down, he'd be able to learn more earthbending. Right?

"I'm a great teacher." Sue Lee countered.

"Then why can't I do this?" Aang said again, his eyes searching for an answer. His teacher recoiled slightly, and I would have too. The look the Avatar was giving seemed as though it could bore into you and read the very fabric on your soul.

It was clear the pre-teen was struggling for an answer. I could almost see the gears turning in her brain, but they were slowing down, rusting. "Because I'm a horrible teacher." she mumbled, staring at the ground. Aang sighed and sat down, his bald head resting on his knees. Sue Lee looked around at the rest of us. We had been staring at the pair openly since the little argument had begun. Now that we met her glossy gaze, though, we lowered our heads and returned to what we had been doing.

As the earthbender walked off, no one looked up to see if she was crying. We already knew.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Hey, readers! Well, I did it. I finished chapter twenty-nine. Do you know how great it feels to say that? I think I'll say it again. Just kidding. **

**Anyway, you'll need to wait a little bit before Sue Lee is out of the picture. Oh, by the way, for those of you that didn't know, I'm putting Toph in the story by request. XP. Sorry to spring information on you. **

**Just to let you know, I would have had this chapter finished sooner, but I'm trying to find a way to grease the wheels of the plot, so to speak. The story is just going way too slow for my liking. I don't want to make this the longest fanfiction on the face of the earth, after all. I was aiming for about thirty chapters, but that is not happening.**

**But tell me what you think!**


	30. Reunion

**A/N: Hey, readers! I would have had this chappie up sooner, but I'm still trying to figure out how to make this story go a little faster. I think I'm going to edit it a little once I'm done to make it shorter…**

**Anyway, I tried to get Toph in here, I really did, but it just didn't turn out that way. Once again, sorry. But she'll be in the next chapter, I promise!**

o0oOo0o

Azula sat in the meager camp her and her soldiers had managed to make in silence. Nearby, Riu and another soldier (the one who'd been arguing with Riu about what to do about Hurun's choking) were arguing rather loudly about where to pitch their large tent. The princess was nearly deaf to the noise, even when the two soldiers tackled each other to the ground, rolling in the dirt as they punched at each other blindly.

Akuzo joined his girlfriend and lit his palm with a crackle of orange flame. He adjusted himself until he was comfortable—the ground was rather hard—and looked toward the princess. "Azula?"

"Yes?" she replied softly. Her voice sent shivers up slinking up the captain's spine. It had no edge whatsoever and she had not bothered looking him in the eye. In living with her on a ship for those months had told him that the lack of eye contact was not a good sign. He hoped it just had something to do with the…time of month. In all honesty, he was much too tired to deal with something big tonight.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Azula replied softly, looking back at Akuzo. Though her words were hard to distinguish over the noise of the fighting behind them, he caught them. "Why do you ask?"

"Why do I ask?" the captain inquired in disbelief, chuckling lightly. "Azula, you just gave up--"

"That spot's wet!" Tuyen shouted, trying desperately to break free of Riu's hold.

The normally humorous soldier began a rebuttal, but was cut off as Akuzo stood. "Would you two shut the hell up and pitch the tent?" His voice was louder than all the rest. Immediately, the two fighting soldiers froze, looking up to meet the eyes of their captain. The two muttered an apology and moved off to help the third soldier unload the supplies they needed.

Akuzo shook his head, sitting down again. Until he recalled what he'd been about to say, he was quiet. Azula shifted uneasily, arms tight around her knees. "It's just that you gave up catching your brother when he was right there. You could've caught the Avatar not too long after, either. Why didn't you?" His question met nothing but the chirp of the crickets in the night. "Azula?" He laid a hand on the girl's shoulder.

The princess looked up, trying desperately to fake an answer. "We still have a long way until we reach the other side of the peninsula. It would be hard to keep them tied up for so long without them escaping." The thoughtful captain didn't know what to say to that, but he didn't press the matter.

o0oOo0o

Iroh bumped along in the back of the delivery man's wagon, eyes heavy with sleep. The old man was tired and sore but he could not afford to fall into a slumber. Not now. They were too close to Gaoling and the firebender couldn't be caught for his sense of joy riding.

And as the cart came to a stop, the man hopped out, unsteady at first, but then stealthy as a shadow, and vanished into the dark city without a sound.

o0oOo0o

We entered a town called Gaoling for supplies once we crossed a cusp of land that jutted out from the Earth Kingdom.

Gaoling was kind of ritzy if you asked me. Then again, we hadn't really stopped in many major towns in the Earth Kingdom during our travels. The buildings were made of wood and looked freshly painted. There was no doubt in my mind the town's governor was stuck up and obsessed with appearances. _Stop being so judgmental, _I chided myself. That was becoming a nasty habit.

Sokka led the way through the market, muttering to himself about what we'd need. As Aang strayed from the group to look at a small statue of a lemur, Zuko pulled him back by his sleeve. The Avatar looked up, smiling guiltily before falling into step with Sokka. My brother stopped us then, turning with a look of determination on his face. "We should split up for supplies." he said. I almost rolled my eyes due to how serious he was. He was acting as if this was a life or death mission or something. "Lee and Katara, you take care of food. I'll find us rope and leather straps. Sue Lee and Aang--"

Sue Lee cut in, her finger in the air. "Uh, maybe you should go with Aang, Sokka."

My brother blinked. "But then you'd be alone." he protested.

"I'll be fine. What should I get?"

Reluctantly, the water tribe warrior told her they would need a few more blankets, and to meet back here when she was done. She nodded and turned. The rest of us followed suit.

o0oOo0o

Aang and Sokka made their way through the market quickly, the Avatar struggling to keep up. He was sure to make this known to his older friend. "Slow down!" The pace was slowed enough that Aang fell into step. A silence between them ensued.

"Hey, Sokka?" Aang asked suddenly. Said warrior didn't speak, only looked over. "Why'd you pair us the way you did?" Sokka's face contorted much further than a simple arched brow.

"What do you mean?"

"Like me and Sue Lee together. You know we don't exactly…get along." The Avatar sounded ashamed of himself as his gaze fell on the stone ground. He suddenly looked up. "And I didn't think you'd let Katara be alone with _Lee_."

Sokka shrugged. "Even if anything did go wrong—which it won't-" Sokka held up a finger, "my sister can protect herself." Aang's head swirled with questions. He had a strange feeling that the older boy knew about Katara and Zuko's relationship, but was trying to keep Aang from knowing. The thought made him nauseous.

"I just get a funny feeling about those two." the Avatar pressed. He wanted just the slightest hint out of Sokka…

"Huh?" the warrior replied, trying to play it cool. But in the back of his mind, a taunting voice stood out. _'He knows.' _

"Never mind. Nothing." The multi-bender waved it off, heading over to a stand that sold rope.

o0oOo0o

"What about this one?"

Iroh perked his ears up at the voice from around the corner. The firebender peered around the building with wide eyes.

"No, it looks overripe." a girl said, putting a melon back on a stand. She was slender, clad in a blue dress and pants, a long dark braid cascading down her back. Iroh blinked. What were the chances the Avatar's waterbending friend would be in the same town as he was?

"There's a difference between overripe and spoiled. Besides, the way your brother eats, it'll be gone before the end of the day." a young man argued. He was tall, clad in brown robes, but the thing that caught the retired general's eye was the hat. He blinked again, fighting with all his will power not to jump out of his ally right then and there. Though it was wrong, a lot could be learned by eavesdropping.

"Still, I don't trust it." the girl replied. The boy under the hat sighed as he watched his companion pick out another melon. Satisfied with their basket of produce, the boy paid the merchant. As the walked away, the girl muttered something to her companion about "paying for everything." Iroh's mouth stretched into a broad smile as he saw the young man slid an arm around the waterbender's waist and kiss the top of her head.

He got up, putting on his hat before following them through the small crowd.

o0oOo0o

As Zuko and I made our way back to the meeting spot, a chill shot up my spine. I looked around. Though I couldn't explain why, I felt uneasy. This action didn't go unnoticed by my sweetheart. Once again, he stepped closer and put an arm around my waist. This way, any passerby couldn't hear much of our whispered conversation.

"What's up?" he asked, his head low over mine. He kissed me again to seem less conspicuous. I didn't say so, but that wasn't the brightest idea in the world. If someone—like and enemy—had been watching us, they knew one of our most precious weaknesses. But I didn't think we were being watched anyway; people walked by us without even sparing a glance. Besides, our tactic was working.

My head tilted back so I could whisper in his ear. "I feel like we're being watched. It's probably nothing."

He nodded, pulling me the slightest bit closer.

o0oOo0o

Iroh followed from a distance, but he could still see what was going on with his nephew and the waterbender. He bit back a smile. Maybe what he said to Azula back on the ship wasn't so true any more. Zuko seemed to have a sweetheart now; there was hope for great nieces and nephews yet. The man's heart skipped a beat as the girl looked around, eyes suspicious. Did she know he was following them?

He supposed it was a yes because the pair came together again, conversing in low whispers. Their pace quickened ever so slightly.

o0oOo0o

As Aang and Sokka came around a corner to the meeting place, the Avatar's blood boiled. There was Zuko and Katara, standing near a pillar, the firebender's arm wrapped around the master waterbender's waist. She was leaning in with her head resting on his chest. They seemed to be talking in hushed tones.

Sokka could have fallen over. How could his sister have been so stupid? Now Katara's relationship with Zuko was out in plain view for Aang to see! Said Avatar quickened his pace and made it to the pair first.

o0oOo0o

I was slightly startled when Zuko moved, but I soon saw why. Aang and Sokka were back. I could see the Avatar's gray eyes burning with anger, but he made no move to say anything. Instead, Zuko spoke. "Where's Sue Lee? We should leave here as soon as possible." His voice was softer than usual. Aang stared at his firebending teacher for a moment.

"I don't know." he said shortly. Suddenly, he pulled all of us into the ally next to our meeting spot. "What were you two doing?" he hissed at Zuko and I. My mouth opened, but no words came out. Luckily, my favorite firebender was there to help.

"Some guys were giving her some weird looks was all."

Aang glared. "I'm not stupid, you know."

No one moved. No one took a breath.

"I know you two like each other." the Avatar said. My heart beat a million miles a minute. He didn't sound like Aang. "But we're in a town--"

Just then, a shadow was cast on our ally. We all snapped our heads toward the dark figure, Sokka taking a defensive stance. He soon faltered as the figure stepped forward, enabling us to see who the person at the mouth of the ally was. I felt Zuko loosen up beside me.

"Uncle?"

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Yay! Iroh and Zuko reunite! Sorry for the lack of big Zutara fluff, but I got a little in there. I'll be sure to put lots more in before the end of the story, which I'm really hoping to hurry up on. But I hope you loved the chappie just as much as I did!**

**Please review!**


	31. Earth Rumble

**A/N: I'm sorry for not updating, but I'm going through really hard times right now. My grandmother died two months ago, and I was really close to her. I've been too depressed to do anything but go to school. I wasn't going to continue this story, but then I looked over all of the reviews (all 636 of them) and decided right then that if I didn't continue this story, you would all not only be disappointed, but come after me with torches and pitchforks. **

**So this chapter, and this entire story is dedicated to my loyal reviewers, especially _Kintarly _who was the first reviewer of _Calming Ice._**

**And now a little excerpt to refresh your memory.**

**Last time:** Just then, a shadow was cast on our ally. We all snapped our heads toward the dark figure, Sokka taking a defensive stance. He soon faltered as the figure stepped forward, enabling us to see who the person at the mouth of the ally was. I felt Zuko loosen up beside me.

"Uncle?"

o0oOo0o

Zuko blinked in sheer wonder at his old uncle, who stood there with a wide smile on his face. He stepped forward, cautiously at first, unsure of his nephew's reaction. But after the first step, caution was thrown to the wind. The heavy firebender (who had lost a fair bit of weight thanks to his capture) half ran, half fell into his beloved nephew, arms squeezing the fugitive prince to a pulp.

I smiled as Zuko finally returned the hug and Iroh let tears of joy stain his wrinkled face. They had missed each other dearly.

Iroh pulled away from the embrace first, holding his nephew at arm's length. "It has only been two months and in that short two months, I have lost my little nephew." Zuko arched a brow, but nevertheless, he was smiling. "You are a man now." He wiped away his tears and looked around at us all. "I'm getting old."

That earned a laugh from each and every one of us. I silently thanked the gods of fire and water that Iroh had come; he not only mended a hole in a heart, but he cut through the awkward anger that had overcome Aang.

Iroh turned first to Aang, bowing deeply. His eyes were closed as a sign of respect. "Avatar, it is an honor to meet you."

Aang bowed back, radiating calm and wisdom. It sent a chill up my spine. He was quick to change moods. "General Iroh." the airbender said. "It is good to meet you as well." Then he stood, big grin plastered to his face. "But call me Aang."

Iroh smiled and nodded. He turned to Sokka, who, to my great surprise, had not made a move for his boomerang. "It is nice to meet you as well…"

"My name is Sokka." my brother replied with a small smile.

Iroh nodded, and at last, he turned to me. "And one of the most prestigious waterbenders in the South Pole." He nodded and smiled, his eyes twinkling.

"The only one." I corrected. "It's nice to meet you."

At that moment, Sue Lee's shadow fell over the alley. She arched a brow, looking toward Iroh. "Who are you?"

o0oOo0o

So as it turned out, Sue Lee had taken so long because she was badgering some answers out of two earthbending boys. She'd heard them talking about an "Earth Rumble," which seemed to be an annual event. People traveled from all over the nation just for that day, where earthbenders went to compete for the belt. Sue Lee looked positively ecstatic after telling us the news.

The curious Avatar arched a brow. "So how'd you get them to tell you?" he asked.

The girl merely shrugged, eyes cast heavenward. "Oh," she said calmly, "a girl has her ways."

o0oOo0o

"I can't believe this." Zuko said flatly. He watched the arena below with half-lidded eyes glazed over in boredom. As a huge spike of rock came rocketing toward our row, he calmly slid closer to me, letting the spike embed itself in the bench beside him. I couldn't agree more. I loved watching people bend, but Earth Rumble Six was just a bunch of guys throwing rocks at each other. Even so, I think Sokka and Sue Lee were enjoying themselves.

"THE BOULDER KNOWS HOW TO PUT THE HURT IN THE DIRT!" Sokka and Sue Lee yelled, jumping up and down. Poor Iroh and Aang sat behind the yelling warriors, eyes as wide as plates. I tried not to pay them any mind.

I was so lost in my own thoughts about how stupid the tournament was, I didn't even register the fact that a new contestant had walked into the arena. Not only that, but this was the last match. I hoped it would be quick. My hopes seemed crushed when the man on the side announced the contestant's name. "The Blind Bandit!" They couldn't really be blind, could she? I didn't realize I'd voiced my question aloud until Iroh provided an answer.

"I've heard of a few decent earth and airbenders that were blind." he said. "But still, she is young."

'_She?' _I asked myself. As I looked at the girl, I smiled. At least one girl had the courage to get in there.

But the Blind Bandit had more than courage. She had some skills. So many that the match was over in a minute, easy, leaving our row in deathly silence, all except for Iroh and Sue Lee.

o0oOo0o

After the tournament, Sue Lee kept blathering on about what the Boulder's face looked like when he was beaten. Sokka argued, saying it was a lucky shot. Zuko and Iroh were making bets on how long the argument would last. I rolled my eyes as I led the group through the town. That's when Aang rushed past me. The rest of us quieted when we saw what he was rushing for.

The Blind Bandit.

She was walking down the street, and turned down an alleyway. If I didn't know better, I'd say she wasn't blind. But that was beside the point. The point is, Aang tried to talk to her without much success. He didn't seem to be getting much out of the earthbender.

"Twinkle Toes, why don't you just go bug your friends? I don't have time to teach you earthbending. Besides, you seem to light on your feet to learn anyway." she told him. Even outside the ring, the girl was harsh. Aang practically wilted at her words. Still, he had Sue Lee behind him.

"You think so?" Sue Lee asked, tapping her foot. A wall of earth spikes cut off the Blind Bandit's path. "He already knows how to earthbend, but he needs a master, which I'm not." The Blind Bandit smirked, her clouded eyes sparkling.

"I'm not a master, Fairy Princess." At this, Sue Lee glared, stomping the earth and pushing a block of stone toward the other girl. Aang dodged the attack, throwing himself against the alley wall. The tournament winner stood her ground, blocking Sue Lee's attack with a block of rock. It seemed strange; it was like the Blind Bandit knew what was coming before Sue Lee had even executed the move.

Sue Lee saw this. She flipped in the air, summoning earth spikes that she used to pin her opponent's sleeves and pant legs to the wall behind her. "He's the Avatar. Will you do it?"

The Blind Bandit sighed in defeat. "Fine, Fairy Princess. I need a vacation anyway." Triumphant, Sue Lee removed the spikes, only to be knocked over by a ripple of earth. "But don't get in my way."

o0oOo0o

**A/N: The next chapter will be longer, I promise! I know Toph gave up too easily… Please review!**


	32. You're a what?

**A/N: Okay, I'm feeling a little better now. Thanks to all my reviewers; you make me keep writing! ;) But now I'm really excited to put Toph in here, and even better, she already has a nickname for Sue Lee! Thanks for getting everything rolling again.**

o0oOo0o

We left Gaoling less than an hour after the Blind Bandit agreed to come with us. I'd insisted she'd tell her parents what was going on, as did Iroh, but the girl refused to listen. "Cool it. My parents will barely notice I'm gone." I wasn't so sure. Zuko squeezed my shoulder in reassurance as we all piled onto Appa.

When the bison took off, the Blind Bandit almost screamed, grabbing the side of the saddle. She fumbled for a solid grip. "You didn't tell me we'd be flying!" she shouted over the wind. The Avatar shrugged.

"What's the big deal?" he asked. The girl in question grumbled as she rested her head on the saddle.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand, Twinkle Toes." she told him. "Since I'm blind, I rely on the vibrations of the earth to be my sight. It sort of helps me see where everything is. But in the air, there's no earth for me to see with." Aang frowned.

"Sorry. I didn't know."

o0oOo0o

It had been three days since we'd left Gaoling. The Blind Bandit had been teaching Aang earthbending with little trouble. We could all tell Sue Lee was a little jealous, but nonetheless, she seemed happy. After all, her ex-pupil was making progress, even if it wasn't with her.

Iroh was cooking lunch, something that he did every day since he'd joined us. "Why should you trouble yourself with cooking for so many people so often?" he'd asked me the first day. "I'll take one meal a day off your hands." I agreed, secretly grateful. Besides, I thought Iroh was a much better cook than I was. Sokka seemed to agree too, seeing as he wolfed down thirds during lunch.

Zuko was meditating atop a nearby boulder. This was his routine at every noon hour. He was a creature of habit, and dedicated to his bending. That was probably what I most admired about him; he was so strong willed. That didn't stop me from sitting next to him.

"Yes, Katara?" he asked, peering at me through one open eye.

"Zuko, what does meditating do for you?"

His muscles relaxed, and his bare chest swelled with a deep breath. "It helps me concentrate, clear my mind, better my breathing." He leaned back on his elbows and looked over at me. "It's relaxing, I guess." I nodded. Between both Sue Lee and the Blind Bandit, relaxation was needed more than usual. The pair sometimes got into arguments that would last hours, usually about earthbending. It got aggravating.

We'd just sat down to lunch when suddenly the Blind Bandit jumped up. "Ambush!" she yelled. She sent a ripple of earth hurtling between nearby boulders. The figure of a man was launched into the air, screaming. A second dodged the attack, but just barely. He was larger than the first, and clearly stronger. Greasy black hair hung to his shoulders, and his frown was stern enough to kill. It was the host from the Earth Rumble, Xin Fu.

"You should go quietly, little girl." he said to the Blind Bandit. "Your parents want you back in one piece."

"So much for them not missing you!" my brother snapped to the girl angrily. He hurled his boomerang at the man, but he dodged, hurling a boulder back at my brother. Sokka couldn't evade the attack in time and hurtled backward. The Blind Bandit attacked the man, and soon they were locked in fierce combat.

The first figure—the one that had been thrown into the air—interfered at that moment, managing to grab both the host and the Blind Bandit. He was tall and lean, also with black hair with the look of a noble. "Now, Xin Fu, the Beifongs wanted their daughter back safely." he said, staring at the muscular man.

Sue Lee gaped at the Blind Bandit, eyes wider than moon peaches. "You're a Beifong?"

The Blind Bandit wrenched free of the tiny man's hold, sending him flying yet again with a rock spike. "You can tell them I don't want to come back!" Xin Fu got the same treatment.

Sue Lee turned to me. "Get everything packed up! We'll hold them off!" And with that, she rocketed into the fight. Iroh smacked his forehead. We had ourselves a mini Earth Rumble, and with both Toph and Sue Lee, there was no telling what would happen.

In a rush, two firebenders and a waterbender tripped over each other to get things loaded onto Appa. Aang…well Aang was flying above the chaos, until he crashed into Momo, who dropped the sack of food he'd been carrying. All the while monstrous crashes echoed from across the clearing. Every time they did, I flinched. One terrified cry was shortly followed by a "Take that!" I had to hand it to the Blind Bandit: that girl could scream. More than once, Aang and Iroh had to dodge certain projectiles that had gone astray.

"Those four are going to kill each other!" Zuko said. His uncle dodged an oncoming rock spike with so much skill he was able to balance his precious tea set at the same time.

"Speak for yourself!" Iroh interjected, narrowly missing a chunk of earth.

When we'd finally packed up (I say finally as though it had taken longer than one point four minutes), the girls came hauling it over. Sue Lee was frantic, her hair astray. She rushed up Appa's tail. "Yip, yip!" she cried. "Yip, yip!" But as Appa was about to take off, Iroh smacked his forehead again.

"Aang," Sokka said suddenly from under his rock, "a little help?" Grumbling, the Blind Bandit gave him a bump up to the saddle with her earthbending.

"All you had to do was pack up camp and get on Appa." she muttered bitterly. "And you go and waste valuable time." Below us, Xin Fu and his companion shot rocks at us that did not meet their target.

Sue Lee paid them no mind. Instead, she glared at the Blind Bandit. "You should have told us you were a Beifong." Her pitch rose. "You put us all in danger—your parents are so rich, they could send an entire army after you, and worse, they probably think we kidnapped you! Do you care, _Miss Beifong?_" The last two words dripped with false sweetness.

"First off," the Blind Bandit said, cracking her knuckles, "The name's Toph. Use it. Second, those two nimrods can't catch us. Your almost—_almost—_as good as me, Fairy Princess, and we beat them in numbers." As Sue Lee glared, the rest of us sat back, speechless.

o0oOo0o

**A/N: Sorry for the slow update-- I couldn't upload files yesterday. And as for the short chapter, I'll make it longer next time. **


	33. AN: Don't freak yet

**A/N: **crawls out of pit I'M ALIVE!!! Again, I'm sorry for keeping you all waiting. T.T I'm a horrible person for that ( --- is admitting it so you don't come after her with pitchforks). But I've repeatedly looked back on this story and found that I love the plotline and the plotline I'd set out for it, but I can't get to point B from here, so to speak. So I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to _rewrite_ Calming Ice with a different title and a few little tweaks in the plot. I'll leave the original up for the diehard fans. :) Thanks and sorry for any disappointment!


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